As I write this, my beloved cat Sealie lies beside me on the couch. About two months ago, I had decided to let her roam the fenced backyard, though she had always been a strictly indoor cat. I didn’t realize a gate had been left open, and when I went to look for her, she was gone. It quickly grew dark as I roamed the neighborhood calling her, then got in my car to circle a wider area.

I knew Seal to be quite a timid cat, and expected her ability to find her way home would not be good; she would become disoriented. As an indoor pet, she had not developed street smarts. I imagined what could happen to her – a dog or a car or a coyote. Finally, I went to bed, leaving the gate open and hoping that when I woke, my cat would be home. The next day, my despair grew. Even if she was hit by a car, she had a collar with a phone number, so why was no one calling?

I had recently read The Secret at that time, and though I felt somewhat doubtful, I thought I would try to visualize Sealie coming home safely. As I continued walking the neighborhood calling for her, I would affirm that she was safe and would soon be lying on my couch again. Even as the tears spilled down my cheeks, I continued to believe in the power of good to come to the rescue of an innocent cat. My biggest concern was that she would not be suffering and afraid since I knew she would much prefer to be home than on the streets.

Feeling I must do all I could, I placed a missing cat ad in the online classifieds and at the local animal shelter. Mine joined the many others that were already posted, some a few months old and clearly ineffective.

The day turned to evening again, and there was still no trace of my little calico. I walked the neighborhood several times, feeling she must be there somewhere, hiding and hungry. At the same time, I would eye the nearby fields and mountains and realize she could, in fact, be anywhere. Her breakaway collar could have come off, so if someone found her, they wouldn’t know how to get her home.

As it got later and later, I finally accepted that prayer and believing in the power of prayer was the only answer. I again affirmed that this was a loved cat who deserved to be in her comfortable home and that she would be led there. She was being taken care of by God or the Universe, and she would come home. I lay on my couch and visualized her homecoming, feeling how it would feel to have her home again, how happy and relieved I’d be, and how happy she would be. I did this for a while, then turned the situation over to the Universe and began to do other things on my computer. I knew I needed to let it go if I genuinely believed Seal would be led home. When Seal would come into my thoughts, I would put her out of my mind after affirming that she was being taken care of and would soon be home. It was almost time for bed, but I remained calm and, for the most part, distracted with the task of answering emails.

Suddenly, at almost 11 p.m., my cell phone rang with an unfamiliar number. I expected this would be my answer, and it was. A neighbor had Sealie and had gotten my number from her collar. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

The neighborhood at that time of night was very quiet, and the streets deserted, but fortunately, this woman had arrived home late from a night class. And fortunately, in front of her house were the bushes Seal had chosen for a hiding place. The cat meowed, and the neighbor heard her. She happened to have cat food to use to tempt her out of the bushes, and she had a pet carrier! She was the perfect person to find Seal. I was so thankful and relieved as I picked Seal up, and she was very, very happy to be home. I believe my final, determined application of The Secret helped me find her in a quick, effective manner, preventing another night of suffering for her and me.

It is wonderful to have somewhere to turn to in a difficult situation. I’m grateful to all involved in The Secret for helping to provide that way. Thank you, thank you, thank you!