"A Cat's Call to Duty" (about my late cat Sunny)

A Cat's Call to Duty (From June 2008 during my Army National Guard deployment in Kosovo, soon after learning my dear, sweet Sunny had perished back home)   One day, God was walking through Heaven, noting the eternal joy of His creatures who had lived and died.  One thing He noticed was all the cats.  He loved cats, as... 58 seconds ago   A Cat's Call to Duty by Lee Thomas Walker on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 at 5:06pm (From June 2008 during my Army National Guard deployment in Kosovo, soon after learning my dear, sweet Sunny had perished back home)   One day, God was walking through Heaven, noting the eternal joy of His creatures who had lived and died.  One thing He noticed was all the cats.  He loved cats, as He loved all His creatures, but noted they had no leadership.  They would play together, but really weren't a community.    So God said His angels, "The cats need a leader--one of their own to whom they may look, and who will guide them in wisdom.  Go to Earth, and find Me a leader for My cats."   So the angels searched all the Earth.  They went high and low, examined different cats and how they acted.  They took notes and pictures, and then returned to Heaven to compare their reports.  After their meeting, they came before God with their conclusion.   "Lord," they said, "we searched the Earth for what You seek.  We found many great cats who can do as You ask.  Among those that stand out is this one--Sunny of Missouri, in the USA.  She is smart, and respected by humans and domesticated animals of all types.  Her fellow cats readily recognize her as their leader.  And from our observation, her performance as leader is outstanding.  While many would be good choices, Sunny, we believe, would be one of the best."   So God said, "Sunny.  She sounds exactly like what I am looking for."   "There is one issue, though, Lord," the spokesman angel said.  "The human who loves her most is away from home serving his country.  He cares about her very much, and even though away from her, he would miss her if she was gone."   As God considered this, the angel continued.  "However, we know that if he knew You needed her, he would gladly give her up to You.  And though he would be sad in missing her, he would be happy knowing she was enjoying this paradise and fulfilling her potential as a leader."   So God considered what the angels had found, and choose Sunny for this very important duty.  And Sunny fulfilled the duty.  Soon, she had the untold millions of cats in Heaven organized and operating as a community.  She cared for all of them, but maintained order as well.  They had always been happy there, but they were ever happier.  And as on Earth, other animals, like dogs and horses, respected her.  And all of Heaven looked in awe at Sunny, and how she served her Creator so well.   Sunny truly shone as the celestrial ball after which she was named.   ------   This story is not intended to be true.  I do not claim to know all of what goes on in the hereafter, and so I don't say animals will or will not have a part in it.  That is up to the Creator.  But I do believe the real-life Sunny showed herself to be an extraordinary cat, one who in ways was far beyond any other cat we have ever had.  And if it was the divine will that she be taken, for whatever reason, I can accept that.    Whatever the truth is, I will one day find out.  Until then, in my heart, she is there, running the Heavenly barn and keeping the cats in order.  "Take care, kiddo.  You earned it." My late cat Sunny. Smartest cat I ever knew. She basically ran the horse barn. RIP Sunny.