Jewel's Journey

I *love* books, and I love to read!  I often find myself wishing I could make more time to read, but I try to read at least a few pages of a book everyday.  Due to my severe vision impairment, it takes me longer to read than it does most people, but I've always found a lot of pleasure in reading.

Sometimes when my friend, D, visits, I'll ask him to read to me out of the book I'm enjoying.  I think he enjoys reading to me.  Do you know who else enjoys these reading-out-loud sessions?  The kitties!

Every time D would read to me when he visited, Jewel would come and curl up in her pink cube to listen.  Carmine would also make his way into my room and lay on the floor next to me and Jewel to hear the story.

Toward the end of Jewel's life, I would carry her in one of the blue and green cubes into my room so she wouldn't have to walk there on her own.  It was really sweet to see Jewel curled up in her cube on one side of me and Carmine curled up in the pink cube on the other side of me for the reading session.

For the last several months before Jewel passed away, D was reading me the Divergent series.  Everyone enjoyed it so much that I didn't read ahead on my own the way I usually do!

The last night Jewel spent here with me, D read to us out of the last Divergent book (Allegiant).  We wanted to finish the series with Jewel, but it didn't end up happening that way.  It was about three or four months after her death until I asked D to finish reading it to me, and before each reading session, I told Angel Jewel that we were going to read from the book and that she could come and listen if she wanted to.

I'd like to believe that Jewel still comes to listen to the stories when D reads aloud, even if we cannot see her anymore.  Carmine continues to enjoy being read to very much.