Today I saved a life.

I have two formerly feral aging cats, and every day I let them outside so that they can "be cats" for a little while. I leave the patio door open a crack so they can escape back in if they're spooked by something. This morning I heard a bit of a commotion downstairs. One of the cats had a small bird by the head and was reveling in his conquest. I could tell it the bird was still alive, as I could see it's wings flapping from time to time. I made a few fruitless efforts to retrieve it, and the cat kept running from me still with the bird in its mouth. At one point he got so angry with me that he dropped his prey in order to very vocally bitch me out. I moved in quickly with a cloth I had grabbed and seized the bird. It was bleeding a bit, and I could feel its little heart pounding. So I wrapped it up in the cloth and I just held it and very gently stroked the top of its little head until its heartbeat slowed down. I was hoping it would recover enough after a little rest but I couldn't tell the extent of its injuries. I took it outside and very gently laid it on the ground under a bush and continued to stroke it very gently but it just lay there.

Suddenly it flapped its wings and took off like a shot.

I went back in the house to face the music, told my cat what a wonderful hunter he was and gave him some treats. He's currently not speaking to me.

I know it wasn't a huge thing, but I felt so exhilarated by the experience that I can't stop smiling. Just a happy little event in a world that's a bit upside these days.