Get out the Kleenex ~ resending one of my favorites!!!
 

Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three thingsin this world: fighting, eating garbage, and, shall we say, love.

Thecombination of these things combined with a life spent outside hadtheir effect on Ugly. To start with, he had only one eye and where theother should have been was a hole. He was also missing his ear on thesame side, his left foot appeared to have been badly broken at one time,and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he wasalways turning the corner.

Ugly would have been a dark graytabby, striped type, except for the sores covering his head, neck, andeven his shoulders.

Every time someone saw Ugly there was thesame reaction. "That's one UGLY cat!!!"

All the children werewarned not to touch him, the adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down,squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws inthe door when he would not leave. Ugly always had the same reaction.

Ifyou turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked untilyou gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl hislanky body around your feet in forgiveness.

Whenever he spiedchildren, he would come running, meowing frantically and bump his headagainst their hands, begging for their love.

If you ever pickedhim up he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings,whatever he could find.

One day Ugly shared his love with theneighbor's dogs. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled.I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying,it was apparent Ugly's sad life was almost at an end.

As Ipicked him up and tried to carry him home, I could hear him wheezing andgasping, and could feel him struggling. It must be hurting himterribly, I thought.

Then I felt a familiar tugging, suckingsensation on my ear. Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviouslydying, was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and hebumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one goldeneye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring.

Evenin the greatest pain, that ugly battled scarred cat was asking only fora little affection, perhaps some compassion.

At that moment Ithought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen.Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, try to get away from me, orstruggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting inme to relieve his pain.

Ugly died in my arms before I could getinside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinkingabout how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinionabout what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totallyand truly.

Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than athousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and forthat I will always be thankful. He had been scarred on the outside, but Iwas scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learnto love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for.

Manypeople want to be richer, more successful,
well liked, beautiful,but for me ...

I will always try tobe Ugly!