Oh, a miracle!

This afternoon I have buried my little cat. Rest in peace, Tippets Satya, little Chocolate-point Siamese puss, daughter of Grand Champion Fistra Stringfellow and Adqwean Sun Kist, born in Wivenhoe, Essex, on 20th July 1988.

She came to our house in Colchester on 1st October '88, to be a companion for Ming Kwan, our Tortie Siamese, who was grieving the death of her Burmese chum, Shiva, who had been killed by a car. Ming cried pitifully, day and night, in loud Siamese tones. Not to be ignored. I bought her a kitten.

I gave Satya a Pureland Buddhist funeral in the back courtyard - there's a little flowerbed beside the garden wall.

I went to a garden centre this morning and bought lots of spring bulbs which I have planted above her - pale pinkish narcissi, 'Glory of the Snow', little mauve Iris reticulata, palest lilac croci, white scilla. The grave has candles and incense still burning. She is facing west, the direction of the Pureland. All on my own, bowing and chanting, feeling thankful for the sixteen years.

Then I washed the soil off my hands and came upstairs to my study which over looks the courtyard, which is about 20 ft by 20ft, mainly paved, with narrow beds at either side and one central bed with bamboos and shrubs. The rest of the house in darkness on this first evening since the clocks went back, I walked along the landing toward the drawing room, to find the western sky lit with copper-gold flames, fading to vibrant pink. Glorious! I clapped my hands and exclaimed in delight.

There is dukkha - but there is sukha too.