<p>My husband and I moved to Canada from Greece just over 23 years ago. Despite our pleading, my parents chose to stay back home. Everything was great, until two years ago, when my father died from a stroke. </p>
<p>We invited my mother to come live with us. We hadn’t anticipated the changes in her that were apparent as soon as she stepped off the plane. She seemed depressed and distant. </p>
<p>Although we had hoped she’d be happy with us, she wanted to return to Greece after a few weeks. We didn’t want her to be unhappy living with us, but we couldn’t let her go back due to her increasing frailty. </p>
<p>One day, as we were browsing in a pet store, I noticed my mother staring lovingly at a grey striped kitten. Watching her from afar, I got an idea. The next day, I went back to the store and purchased the fluffy, tiny kitten. </p>
<p>I brought him home, and went into my mother’s room, where I found her sound asleep. I gently walked up to her and placed the kitten beside her. Half an hour later, I went in to check on her. My mother was holding the loudly purring kitten in her lap, stroking it gently and displaying her familiar loving smile. “I will name him Teodor. After your father,” she said. </p>
<p>Today, mother is still mourning the loss of my father, but Teodor the cat has certainly helped her recover from her grief. We are grateful to have her back again. </p>
