Mirage

Certain people are placed on this planet to challenge the way you look at yourself. Through their eyes, you catch a glimpse of how others view you -- all of the competencies, shortcomings, stigmas, and biases picked out one by one as if a flashlight in the dark night. Eventually the daylight returns to show the completed self, the new pieces added transparently, opaquely, and solidly over the pre-existing objects and feelings. Different angles used to look at yourself reveal all sorts of unexplored aspects of life.

I believe I have met my match, found my Mr. Wind-Up Bird. This person causes me to look at myself in ways I never have and to explore and share aspects of myself that in the past I've found hard to share. My cat is still here, though. It's something that I can't explain in words, only feelings that my gut just knows. Sorry for the vagueness, but the possibly of fully exploring this with words would never do it justice.