Herbert's Last Message

It's about a year since we had Herbert put down. He'd had a series of strokes and didn't really recover from the last one.

He was the cat that made the big difference in our house. He was the first cat my husband had any real contact with, and by charming my husband, Herbert has ensured that we will always have cats.

On that morning last October, I was on my way back to work, after Herbert had died. I switched the CD player on in the car, not knowing what it would play, and hit the random button. There are six CDs in the player, and many tracks per CD. The lyrics below are those of the song that played (not chosen by me, but chosen at random by the CD player). I think that somehow Herbert was talking to me one final time.

HEAVEN FROM HERE
by Robbie Williams

Know no fear I'll still be here tomorrow
Bend my ear I'm not gonna go away
You are love so why do you shed a tear
Know no fear you will see heaven from here
I'll shelter you and make it alright to cry
And you'll help too cos the faith in myself has run dry
We are love and I just wanna hold you near
Know no fear we will see heaven from here
I see real love in your eyes
And it fills me up when you start to cry
I just wanna hold you near
We will see heaven from here
Well it all seems out of reach
I will take the blame if it keeps the peace
My shelf life's short
Wish they'd make it more easy to follow
And I've been caught with nothing but love on my mind
We are love don't let it fall on deaf ears
Now it's clear we have seen heaven from here

In Loving Memory of Herbert

Copyright © Rachel Craddock
October 8, 2004