The Story of the Fox

I know I’m posting a lot. Bear with me; I don’t think it’s going to end anytime soon. A few friends have asked me to post the fox story so here goes; as abbreviated as I can to explain a days long story, but to give Katie’s fox the proper story-telling.

It started a few days after she passed; before her funeral, we were sitting around my living room with the front door open – sunshine streaming in. Friends and family were talking about pets and how this neighborhood was swarming with foxes. Kate loved to hear them chittering in the sewers, and she’d go running to the door to try to spot one. (In 6 years, I’ve seen 2. Always at dusk.) And then, just as I finished the story. my friend Molly shoutd “LOOK” and we all saw the most beautiful fox. In broad daylight. Not running – not darting across the lawn – but standing in our front lawn. Looking straight at us; standing until we all saw. We all gasped; shared a moment and said “good morning, sweetie” as we all knew that was Katie paying us a visit.

The next day, when relaying the story to friends, more people mentioned having seen foxes in the broad daylight in various neighborhoods. We then realized that the sweet sweater dress Katie was wearing to the hospital had a fox on the front. Later still, my sister remembered that a baby fox is called a “kit” and Kate’s nickname given by her daddy is Kit Kat. The day of her funeral, friends reported fox sightings all day long and little fox things kept popping up.

A few days after we laid our sweet girl to rest, my brother in law shared that in China, fox animal symbolism revolved around the afterlife. Lore has it that a fox sighting was thought to be a signal from the spirits of the deceased.

And further still, Harry Potter nerds read about the fox patrouns. The fox is a natural trickster, and brilliantly charismatic. Those with this patronus are often more reserved, but do have the social capability to speak to just about anyone. They are strongly ambitious and observant of the behavior of others, watching key points in what others do and storing them for further reference, when they may need them. They are good talkers, meaning they can convince people to do what they want and make them think it was their idea in the first place. The happiest memories of a fox is getting what they want, and a person who thinks on these things fondly may very well have a fox as their patronus. The most common signs are Libra and Gemini.

Katie is a Gemini and so much of this sounds like my girl. Able to talk to anyone; reserved, ambitions and observant. And she could convince anyone to do anything for her – and she looooved collecting little “things” and always got what she wanted.

We haven’t seen a fox since that day. I wish so much that we have. I pray for her to come visit me in whatever way she wants, but this felt so special. I heard someone say that those we love don’t have to visit us in special ways because they never leave us. I pray that’s true. I miss Kate so much my whole body aches. I long to see her sweet self again. Even if it is only just a fox.

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