This morning I was watching my 4 cats playing outside in their kitty enclosure. The weather has been picture-postcard perfect here in Oregon, so two of the felines were sunning themselves on the upper decks while the other two were stalking bugs and bark chips on the ground. They were blissfully content. I wondered how often I touch the level of joy my kitties seem to live in almost all the time. Lately, it seems that joy has been eluding me. I know these are tough times. Many people are living in fear, dealing with heartbreaking loss, wondering what the future holds for them.
I looked back at those happy kitties of mine, and realized that even though I provide an insulating layer between them and the outside world, if that layer wasn’t there I suspect they could create joy so much more easily than I could.Why is this?
Certainly the boundaries of their world are much smaller than those of mine, and they have many fewer options than I do. But rather than feeling that something is lacking, I think my cats revel in the simplicity of their lives. They make the most of everything they have, and when they’ve had enough food, or sun, or playtime they simply trot to their favorite spots and curl up for a nap.
In many ways this seems like a prescription for a perfect life. I remember once reading that happiness isn't wanting more things, but rather learning to want the things you already have.
My cats embody this belief. And although I am currently “dog-less in Portland,” I think all the beloved canines who’ve shared my life also understood those three most important words:
Keep it simple.
What wonderful teachers my critters are.
Time for a nap.
Chris
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2 comments:
Chris, my sweet love - just remember to take each day as it comes - learn about life, joy, happiness, simplicity from the kitties. Put each day in God's hands and let Him do the worrying, fearing, etc. After my experiences with Leukemia I learned how lucky I am and how blessed I am. Nothing could be worse than almost dying when I wasn't ready. So I say "Thank you, God, Mom & Dad" as I wake up each day. I then take each day good, bad or indiffrent and live it.
Sweetie, you can do it too. Remember you are my fuzzy sister forever and ever. The love and encouragement I get from you make everything I do so worthwhile. I am a survivor and so are you.
Kathy
Chris, you are so right. All we have to do is watch our animal companions to find out the right way to live life.
As we too are dogless right now, we have a hard time remembering this. We hope to alleviate that situation soon.
Thanks for such a beautiful post.
-Rene
Tripawds.com
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