Buckley's Story, Lessons From A Feline Master Teacher, By Ingrid King

I knew this book was going to be a hard read for me because I knew the ending was going to be sad, but I had no idea just how hard it would be for me to read, how very, very deeply it would affect me and how it would resonate with me on so many levels.

Buckley's Story ripped my heart out.

Buckley's Story starts out quite nicely. It details how the author (Ingrid King) came to meet Buckley "the little cat with the huge spirit" and a deformed rear leg when she was managing a Veterinary hospital.  Ingrid describes this strong and feisty tortoiseshell cat by using the word "joy"

"She was a joyful being, and she brought joy to everyone who came into contact with her. Joy can be an elusive quality for many of us, but it is the ultimate goal of a life well lived." Webster's defines joy as "the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune, or by the prospect of possessing what one desires."

Ingrid knew deep in her soul that a few of the things that Buckley desired was to live without the confines of a cage and to live in Ingrid's home along with her patient, understanding and wise cat (also a tortoiseshell cat) Amber.

"Buckley was one of the two little cats, and she believed with all her heart that there was such a place and such a person just for her. She knew in the very depth of her being that some day she was going to find the person and that place. She never gave up on her dream, no matter how bad things were in the present moment."

 It took Ingrid a number of attempts of trying to move Buckley home with she and Amber to really "get" this.

Ingrid also learned through Buckley that her own joy would come not by being employed by others but by listening to her heart and setting off to start a business of her own, a business that has led to many successful side ventures that without Buckley quite possibly she may have never tried.

 "Some of Buckley's freedom-seeking spirit started to rub off on me, and I began to explore other career options."

 Of the many lessons that Buckley taught Ingrid, one of the most important was to "stay in the moment and not get ahead of myself with worry."  She had to repeat this to herself many times when Buckley was diagnosed with a heart condition.

This is where the book hit too close to home. My beloved Bobo was diagnosed with a heart condition when he was approximately 16 yrs old. I was told during the original diagnosis that he would maybe have days, weeks or months. With the love, caring and professionalism of my Veterinarian (I was lucky enough to have a Vet similar to Jack and Janet who were Ingrid's friends/initial employers) my Bobo lived for 2 more years.

I cried when Ingrid described with great professionalism/knowledge the details of the disease (labored breathing, water retention, etc.). I relived those final days spent with my "baby" as I read how Ingrid relived hers with Buckley.

I cried at the frustration that Ingrid felt when she was forced at one point to take Buckley to an emergency clinic (I had had a similar experience)

I cried along with Ingrid as she detailed her struggling with the inevitable decision to let Buckley go, to let her be at peace. (To this day I second guess myself.)

I cried when Ingrid clipped and saved some of Buckley's fur. (Some of Bobo's fur is in a heart-shaped porcelain box in my dresser)

I cried when she had Buckley euthanized at home. (My vet also euthanized Bobo at home which I am not sure if I could go through again.)

I cried as if I had lost my baby the day I read the book instead of the nearly 3 and a half years it has now been since he passed. Pet lovers "get this", not just cat lovers but anyone who has had to say a final goodbye to a beloved pet.

A few of my favorite and most comforting  passages from Buckley's Story are the following:

"I think it's impossible to ever be completely comfortable with the decision to end the life of someone we love so much. We do not want our pets to suffer, and when we are really in tune with our animals, we know when they are ready to make their transition."

"However, our animals also love us so much that they often stick around longer than they might want to because they know how much we will miss them when they're gone."

"I believe that animals and humans are eternal beings. We never really die, we simply transition to a nonphysical state, and so do our animals."

"The connection from soul to soul is eternal."

That is one of the many "lessons from a feline master teacher" that Buckley has left us.

That offers me great comfort.

"Animals open our hearts. It's hard to resist unconditional love. We may try to stay guarded, but once an animal opens your heart, things change. And once your heart opens, life starts to expand."

That....is Buckley's Story, and despite the tears, I loved it!

For more information about Ingrid King or to purchase Buckley's Story, visit http://www.ingridking.com/ or http://www.iuniverse.com/, or call 1-800-AUTHORS, or visit your local book store or preferred on-line retailer.

Thanks to Ingrid King the consummate cat professional for affording me the opportunity to review this wonderful book. I received no compensation, just a copy of a book that I will always treasure.