Have You Seen Me?: A Transforming Adventure: Feline Miracles and Universal Connection

By Gael Johnson

This adventure begins when Jack, a beautiful Bengal cat, goes missing. It details the search for Jack and how it grew into a community effort of support that provided the resilience needed to keep the faith. His journey reveals how the kindness of strangers helps sustain feelings of loss and hopelessness. It conveys the struggle to trust while proving that we get what we need in unexpected and often unusual ways. Above all, it is the story of an amazing cat and what the relationship between him and his human brought and taught. The result is a story that every life it touches has the potential to renew the belief that the Universe is a loving and magical place.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Aug 28, 2019
• ISBN: 9781982233136

Gael Johnson

Gael has a Master of Arts in research methodology. Despite her scientific education, she is a stargazer, a poet, and a lover of mysticism and the magical qualities of life. One of the most magical elements in her life is the companionship of beloved felines. Writing with a strong conviction of faith in the Universe, Gael enjoys sharing transformative stories of optimism, love, and human connection.

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Copyright © 2019 Gael Johnson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-3312-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-3314-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-3313-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019912403

Balboa Press rev. date: 08/27/2019

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 The Initial Prayer

Chapter 2 Jack

Chapter 3 The Beginning of an Adventure

Chapter 4 A Call for Prayers

Chapter 5 A Serious Search Begins

Chapter 6 Hope and Determination

Chapter 7 Up and Down and All Around

Chapter 8 How Much More Can I Bear?

Chapter 9 New Hope Inspires

Chapter 10 A Heartfelt Appeal to the Local Paper

Chapter 11 Seeking a Bengal Experienced Person

Chapter 12 She’s Beautiful

Chapter 13 Bengal Cats

Chapter 14 Choosing Hope Makes Anything Possible

Chapter 15 Moving Forward ~ All Things Made New

Chapter 16 My Brain is a Beast

Chapter 17 Finding Renewed Hope

Chapter 18 Judy DE and I Finally Meet

Chapter 19 A Wave of New Energy

Chapter 20 I Could Use Some Hope and a Miracle

Chapter 21 Sharing the News

Chapter 22 Proclaiming my Joy to the World

Chapter 23 Pitch Your Book to Life

Chapter 24 Acceptance

Chapter 25 Letting Go ~ Always with Me

Chapter 26 In Closing

Acknowledgments

Have You Seen Me

Photos

For my Daddy, because he always believed in me. And for you Momma, because you taught me the kindness and love for animals.

Out of the blue

Out of the blue

People call

It could be you

I respond with love

I hold back fear

Praying for your

Return to me dear

Introduction

Life is cyclic. We have ups and downs and joys and sorrows. Trusting in the process of life isn’t always easy. However, it is a proven fact that adversity can bring out the best in a person and people everywhere unite around troubling circumstances.

This book is really an adventure of sorts. It began as a journal I kept when Jack, my Bengal cat, went missing. It details all of the support, as well as the struggles, heartache, and despair I experienced during the search for him. It proves that the heart is a strong and powerful muscle and that the more you use it, the stronger it becomes.

Every call or email I received was documented and followed up on. Each person who responded to my ads and flyers acknowledged my pain. Every single response was appreciated and became a part of this magical story. I was encouraged by many friends to share it because despite the sadness it really is a beautiful story. I’m certain that those of you who know and love me and those of you who had the opportunity to know Jack, will enjoy the telling of his story. It may even bring a smile to your face when you read about your part in this grand adventure. My hope is that it reminds you that we are all connected in our humanity, and if we extend ourselves just a little, our experience can open up a world of connection to everything this life has to offer.

This book will make you laugh, cry, and hopefully see the world and its magic with new eyes.

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Chapter One

The Initial Prayer

Prayer is a very personal method of communication. It is often very specific, heartfelt, and sincere. Hopefully it is always conscious and offered with a positive and pure intention. It shouldn’t be wasted on the ill will of others. A prayer offered for another is the most powerful imploration. There are at least two kinds of prayers. One, is for gratefulness, such as Thank you God…, which is quite important and should be offered every day. The other however, is the prayer of surrender.

Prayer, as defined by me, does not require the belief in a specific deity. It connects our inner knowing selves with the divine. This is a constant connection, known or not, that needs only to precede a meditation to find an answer. It is a mindful act and is used to set a focused intention on a desired outcome. Prayer aligns me with the flow of the universe, allowing me to walk a path of synchronicity. Trusting in a harmonious and orderly system, such as the Cosmos, is required. The magic that brought Jack to me and the adventure that followed were made possible by our connection to that beautiful order.

The Mind Journal posted the following reflection on its Facebook page, and it is a wonderful interpretation of prayer:

What is a prayer? Prayer doesn’t only happen when we kneel or put our hands together and focus and expect things from God. Thinking positive and wishing good for others is a prayer. When you hug a friend. That’s a prayer. When you cook something to nourish family and friends. That’s a prayer. When we send off our near and dear ones and say, drive safely or be safe. That’s a prayer. When you are helping someone in need by giving your time and energy. You are praying. When you forgive someone, that is prayer. Prayer is a vibration. A feeling. A thought. Prayer is the voice of love, friendship, genuine relationships. Prayer is an expression of your silent being. Keep praying, always…

This is a story of how my Bengal cat Jack’s adventure in life led me on an adventure of my own. Jack, or Jackie as we sometimes called him, came to me from a very heartfelt prayer, and this journey was sustained through constant faith and the kindness and support of strangers. I was transformed by this kindness, and I learned to pray at a greater depth, distinguishing my feelings by the way I prayed. I also learned that there is a time for prayer and a time for action. My action (an obsession at this time) became a prayer in and of itself. This is how it all began.

Couldn’t you have prayed for something that we needed? my husband kindly cajoled.

Yes, this prayer was fairly specific, unlike my usual style. I had learned many moons ago that the best prayers are those that seek guidance and protection, allowing the powers that be to accurately decide what is needed. This prayer was out of knowing what I needed, including what would console me, preoccupy me, and take me out of my wounded self. We had recently lost my husband’s mother, Grace, to a brave battle with leukemia. Although a blessed passing, I was in a lot of gripping pain. Grace was like a mother to me. She was dear to my heart and a well-respected guardian of guidance. The thought of going ahead in life without her would at times paralyze me.

It was the last week of April 2006. I was only working five hours a day, so I was home most afternoons. This particular afternoon, I was feeling a bit low and my energy matched my emotional state. My son had two of his best friends over, and they were playing outside. I told them I was lying down and if they needed anything, to wake me. But I couldn’t sleep. They were under our plum tree just outside my bedroom window and I could hear their conversations. This brought me some joy, but I was in the need of much joy.

I had also just learned of a friend’s cancer diagnosis. She was a mother of five, growing children. I was distraught, so I prayed for acceptance and understanding. I hung up the phone after hearing the news and lay down upon my bed, calling my dog for comfort. She was more than likely secure in a warm and cuddly spot upon the sofa and not concerned with me, so she never came. I cried for my lost kitten, Benjamin, who was always in the mood to adorn me with affection. Benjamin had been killed by a moving vehicle just ten months prior, so I boldly prayed for a kitten like Ben to just come up to my door in need of a home.

At the time of Ben’s death, my mother and step father were visiting us. On that particular Sunday, we had gone to church services. The pastor requested written prayers and chose a few to read and pray over at the close of the service. I had written I’m praying to find my kitten Benjamin.

This prayer for Benjamin is how I learned to be fairly specific in a prayer request because we did in fact find him. But he had already been hit by a car and had passed away. My prayer was indeed answered, but perhaps I should have prayed that we find him alive and well. It certainly provided me solace but was a mixture of both gratitude and sorrow.

It was this memory that gave me pause to be specific in my current prayer request. I corrected my prayer to ask not for a kitten, but rather a street-smart cat who needed and wanted to be loved. Within two minutes I heard my son say to his friends, Wow, whose cat is that? They were still in the yard outside my bedroom window when the cat appeared.

Look at those spots! What kind of cat is that? asked Garrett.

I quieted my wailing and sat up while listening for more details. I called out the window asking, What cat? The cat was no longer in sight.

Suspecting the children had frightened it off, I sprang out of the house in search of this godsend. Tana, my friend across the street, was out shaking rugs and asked Whatcha looking for, honey?

I proceeded to describe the cat and tell her my prayer. Tana went in and came back out with cat treats. She scattered some on her porch. I’ll keep a watch for it and let you know. Do you want me to catch it? I wasn’t sure. I would have to ask Jim. Or would I? Confusion set in, and I let the fates decide.

The next day was Jim’s day off, so when I arrived home from work, I told him about the prayer and the cat. This was when he remarked that I should have prayed for something that we actually needed.

Go ask Tana if she has seen it, he said.

So, I did.

Tana hadn’t seen the cat but went in to get the treats anyway. Just moments later, there in front of me appeared the cat, like it had heard my voice and responded. The cat seemed frightened with all of us hovering, so my son took the treats and moved closer to the cat. The cat immediately took the treats from him.

Do you want me to catch him? Tana asked.

Sure, Jim replied.

We were all blown away by the presence of this cat; not just the timing, but because we had never seen a cat that looked like this. Not exactly, that is. But the feline love of my life, Bilbo, had worn the same rusty orange color with stripes. This cat was spotted and looked very much like a wildcat one might see on the Discovery Channel. Its physique was very defined, and its movements and visible thought processes were extremely focused.

A couple of hours later, Tana called and told us she had the cat.

The three of us went over where Tana and her friend Rock had just finished eating stuffed pork chops. Rock had placed the cat in a carrier, and he was in Tana’s office.

I went in alone, where this cat was quite stressed from being contained, flinging himself all about. The carrier was bouncing around on the table. I spoke softly and told the cat I was letting him out. The cat sprang from his captivity and sat there breathing heavily while staring at me with wide and wild eyes. I said I would take him home if he would let me. I explained the presence of other cats and a pug dog. I told Jim to make sure our other two cats, Quincy and Domino, were out of the house and asked Tana if she could keep Georgia for a while so the cat would have the house to himself. She gladly obliged, and Georgia was also very glad about this new cat because she was treated to mashed potatoes and stuffed pork chop gravy.

I came out of the room with the cat in my arms, and Rock was certain I was crazy.

That cat is wild and will tear you up, he said.

The cat was so frightened of being trapped, and I only had to make it across the street. I held the cat close and hurried on my way. He did not try to escape my arms, nor did he make me sorry for my decision.

Upon arriving home, I set him down, and he proceeded to move from room to room while making some comments in his cat language. I responded and engaged him in conversation, believing he could understand my answers to his perceived inquiries. He did acknowledge my attention and my words. This cat had a wide range of vocals and seemed to mindfully alter his reply in response to whatever I said. My heart was full, and I knew his was too.

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Chapter Two

Jack

Oh, it wasn’t always easy to love him, or even to hold him. He was very uptight and afraid of being locked up. He would often grit his teeth and get a certain look in his eyes that told you to leave him be. I obliged, not out of fear, but out of respect. This cat had some serious issues, but within the first ten minutes of holding him, I knew he deserved the opportunity to be loved and to mellow.

We took him to the vet to determine his age, sex, and if he was microchipped. He was male, about 2 to 3 years old, and was microchipped. However, he had not been registered and the clinic who inserted the microchip, in Salt Lake City, was unreachable as their number was no longer in service. The vet identified him as a Bengal, admitting they were not one of her favorite cat breeds. For one, they were overbred for the purpose of making money. They are very nearly wild which makes owning one an attractive lure. However, most people don’t understand or tolerate their specific needs and behaviors, often leading to rehoming or abandonment.

The vet proceeded to advise me that there were standard procedures to follow when a cat was found. If I wanted to keep him, which she again advised against, I would need to report him to our local animal control center and make an attempt to find his owner. I posted a found cat ad in the Register Guard, our local newspaper. I read the ads for missing cats as well, some of which were Bengals. (Just for the record, many people over extend the definition of a Bengal cat, which becomes much more apparent in our search for him). It pained me to make those calls, but I can still recall the feeling of relief when none of them turned out to be him. In spite of the pain I suffered later during his disappearance, he was still the answer to my prayer. He represented a joyful and miraculous part of my life that I wouldn’t change for knowing.

Life with Jack was always exciting. One afternoon he came home covered in motor oil, and I had to give him a bath. Thinking back on it, giving a bath to a cat sounds like trouble from the start, and here I was bathing a wild and known to be aggressive cat. However, he simply lay in my arms and let me bathe him.

Another time, he got an abscess on his ear after a scrimmage with a neighborhood bully cat. I had to give him medicinal, homeopathic pills directly into his mouth. Jim told me I was nuts, but Jack let me help him without a fuss.

There were many times he would show aggression or let his wild side out. After these aggressive outbursts he would cry a pitiful meow and express his sadness. I knew he didn’t want to act that way, but he was a troubled little soul. I always saw the best in him, and I believe it is why he bonded so closely to me. Whenever he was upset or had been bad, he would go and sleep on my pillow. At night he slept with my son, Willamette, but would often come to sit in my bedroom window in the early morning.

My heart delighted every time I called for him and he came running. He always meowed a happy-to-see-you-kind-of meow. He was often very wound up, and you could see it in the way he clenched his jaw. Yet at night he would curl up on