TO THE BIRTH OF THE FREDERICKS

Me: Semra, the big day has arrived! :) We’re going to the vet to find out if Lucy is pregnant. Let’s meet there at 8:00 PM, okay?

Veterinarian: "Your cat is expected to have five kittens. We can see three sacs now, but if the other two fully develop, there will be five in total."

At that moment, my mind started racing with endless questions—how could I possibly choose among five kittens? After all, they were all mine! How would I care for them and then find them new homes? I knew I would get attached to every single one of them! The very thought of having to choose between them was unsettling. If there had been just one, it would have simply stayed with me—ugh!

Lucy is my first child, and she holds a truly special place in my heart. She was my guiding companion through my journey of self-awareness, witnessing every step of my transformation. Actually, it was my husband who wanted her to have kittens, but I had my doubts. What if some didn’t survive? What if I couldn’t care for them? I also worried about how Lucy would feel about having another cat in our home. When we discussed this with the vet, they advised, "If you’re keeping one of the kittens, choose a male. Two females in the same house will always fight." That advice reassured me—now I had to pick a male, which made the decision easier. And at that moment, I decided Lucy would have kittens. That was the beginning of it all...

August 2021: Lucy and I were at my mother’s house alone while my husband was out of town. It was a Friday... Lucy approached me as if trying to tell me something. I immediately realized she was going into labor. I quickly set up a space for her with the materials my mom had prepared, as she had refused the places I had arranged earlier. Since the vet wasn’t with us, I had to handle the birth on my own, which made me incredibly anxious.

As soon as the first kitten started coming, I panicked and grabbed my phone, calling the vet: "The birth has started! What do I do?" I asked in a frenzy. The vet replied, "Gönül, first of all, stay calm. Just observe from a distance and don’t intervene. Lucy will handle everything—it’s in her nature. Only step in if something seems wrong."

After the first kitten was born, I instinctively tried to show it to Lucy so she could recognize its scent, but she hissed at me! She had never done that before—it was as if she was telling me to back off. So, I stepped outside the room and watched from the doorway, keeping an eye on the kittens’ movements. Thankfully, everything was going smoothly, and soon, all five kittens arrived! I was overjoyed and rushed to Lucy’s side. This time, she welcomed me with purrs. But I noticed she hadn’t cut the umbilical cord of the last kitten—she looked exhausted. I gently stroked her and guided the kitten’s cord to her mouth, helping her cut it. At last, the kitten was free to wriggle around!

Just as I finished making phone calls to share the happy news, I noticed something moving outside. To my shock, another kitten had been born! Lucy was too weak to break its sac, and the poor thing was struggling inside. I quickly stepped in, tore the sac open, and brought its nose to Lucy, encouraging her to lick it. The kitten took its first relieved breath. It was so tiny... I was terrified it wouldn’t make it, but thankfully, it did. I could feel the cold sweat dripping down my back, and my body ached from tension—I had been frozen in place. But all six kittens had arrived safely—three males and three females.

That night, I stayed up watching them until morning. Every little movement carried a message for me. But there was something special about the sixth kitten—I felt a unique connection with him. Even as I write these lines, I get chills. I knew, without a doubt, that this kitten had been sent to me. I was supposed to pick one of the three male kittens, but he had chosen me instead. There was no need to decide anymore. If the sixth kitten hadn’t come, I would have been agonizing over which male to keep, but fate had already made the choice for me.

We named him Frederick, or Freddy for short. Thanks to him, I once again witnessed how the Creator listens to our inner voice and how, in the end, the choice is always ours to make.

And so, my dear friends, as we approach a new year, I wanted to share this memory with you. Our inner voice is always being heard—we just need to listen and embrace the messages sent our way without hesitation. There is a Creator who has thought of everything for us. The path is ours, the choice is ours. When we recognize the signs and surrender to the flow, life unfolds in the best way possible. Every event we experience—whether joyful or painful—is either a stepping stone or a shade tree along our journey.

May everything unfold beautifully for you. Here’s to the birth of many more Freddys!

Gönül DOĞAN