No, I do not have children, but yes I have two sons. Mike and Dale. They are cats. When I moved to UNA dorms in August of 2022, I was displaced from everything that I knew. Being the oldest of four, moving away from all of my animals and friends was very hard. I was the first in my generation to do it. I lived my first year in that olive hall and made so many friends, so many people I could rely on for years to come. I started a job and got involved with writing in the paper. But I still felt empty, something was missing. Then by the grace of some higher power, my parents decided to give me my cat, Mike. I had decided to put my roots down here in Florence and my best friend and I started renting a cute little property not even 8 minutes from campus. We moved in April of 2023 and have been here ever since. 

Before I moved, I had a tough time. I was battling some pretty intense emotions and situations that I had previously never encountered. By my parents giving me Mikey, I finally had someone to rely on me and give me a sense of purpose that I had lost being independent. A will to keep going, if you may. You know how people say pets look like their owners, they are entirely too correct. Mike is a big o orange cat, reports say he has skinny ankles and a small head but no matter. He is the babiest of boys and I love him dearly. He helped me through some very difficult times by laying his large frame on my face when I needed that extra love. 

Then I came across another cutie little boy named Dale. Dale came into my possession by a series of unfortunate events but I have never been more glad to have felt those hardships. Dale is a skinny little tuxedo cat who used to be scared of his own shadow. At one year old he has officially scared me to death. Not too long ago he got sick, not moving and throwing up — a lot. Me and my blessing of a roommate took him to the emergency vet and we spent a small fortune for them to tell us he had a tummy ache and was very mildly dehydrated. 

The next day I spoke with my stepmom and asked if this is what it was like to have children, to worry so bad that you want to throw up and cry because they feel bad. She said, “Yeah pretty much.” So now I have decided to tell people that I have two sons. They are hindering my writing process now as I write. 

I think it is safe to say that they have made my life a million times better. Yes, they are expensive, and yes they do get hair EVERYWHERE. But I don’t think I could make it through without their big eyes greeting me every time I come home. Just knowing that I can push forward through all of these rough spots so I can pet them another day is a delight. Watching them grow to bond and become like brothers fills my heart with so much love that I can do nothing but spill back out into the world. Seeing them appreciate the sunlight and watching the birds makes me slow down and appreciate the nature I so often take for granted. 

Yes, they tear things up, yes they are little gremlins in the night, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I never thought that I’d be able to draw my own family tree, starting with me, but now I know I very much can. Me and my two little branches can make it through anything the world throws at me.