It’s no secret that I love cats. I have said many times I want to come back as my cat in my next life. I didn’t say I want to come back as a cat, just any cat. I said I will come back as MY cat. I know… that’s impossible, how could I be me and my cat at the same time? Then, the other day I woke up with this bright idea. Why wait until the next life, I am going to be MY cat NOW.
I love cats not only for their beauty and grace, but above all for their independent spirit. They don’t live to please people. They live for their own curiosity and enjoyment of life. If they want love and attention, they ask for love and attention. If they want to be left alone, you can’t get to them no matter what you try. They live their lives unapologetically true to themselves. Therefore they are loved for who they are the way they are. They live a life of curiosity. When something interests them, they are totally engaged in the moment. When nothing interests them, they conserve their energy by taking a nap. They eat what they like to eat. They don’t eat out of fear. I have never met a cat that would eat their food because it’s good for them! I can’t tell you how much healthy cat food was wasted because they simply refuse to eat it. I once bought them raw cat food. Nope. I made them salmon skin. Nope. They never said to themselves Helena put a lot of research into this and went out of her way to get it, so we should eat it to make her feel better. Oh, nooooo, not eating that because it’s disgusting. lol! They also stop eating when they are full. They never felt greedy, the need to clean their bowl because they love their food so much or there might be other cats going hungry in the wild. Simply not their problem.
In contrast to my cats, I have lived such a “responsible” life… eating the right kind of food, exercised right, made sure everything and everyone’s needs are taken cared of. Not that it was such a bad thing except it left very little time and space for me to explore “me being me.” What if I don’t know have a preconceived notion of who I am and how I should behave? What if I am just a cat? How would I live? What would I be curious about in life? What would captivate my interest and wonder? What would I like to eat without all the expert advise telling me what I should eat?
Death has been waiting on my doorstep for a year. It was about this time last year that I was diagnosed. Death almost had me convinced life is full of pain and suffering, it wasn’t worth living so I should just go with him. Thank God for all your love and support along with medical treatments both conventional and alternative, I have stayed away from death.
On my anniversary with cancer, I changed my mind about death. I will not stay away from death out of fear. Fear is boring. Fear’s one and only message is “no”. In order to live a life worth living, we actually have to say “yes” to life. I have decided to take death on a date! “Wawa” (my childhood nickname, means baby in Chinese because I am the baby in the family) the cat in me is going to show death such a good time that even death wants to live! 😉 If there comes a time that life is so boring that I might as well die… is that why people use the term “bore me to death”??? Well, not this cat and not on my watch! We are going to have some awesome Wawa the Cat Adventures!!! Cats have 9 lives. I think I used one already last October, but no worries, this cat has 8 more!
A new year, new adventures awaits! This cat is open to suggestions and invitations. What’s the most fun you’ve ever had?
I did a lot of volunteer work with traditional Navajo elders who were resisting relocation back in the day, which was pretty wonderful for the most part – but the very best was working with a team of people to address the problems they faced when the government impounded their livestock, particularly sheep. We worked with the University of Utah or maybe Utah State U, wherever they have their vet school, because we learned that at that school they were trying to revive a nearly extinct species, the Navajo Churro sheep. We raised money to purchase the sheep and tried to get 2-3 lambs for each family that had been impacted. Then the day came. Or rather night. In the middle of nowhere, at a crossroads somewhere on the rez, in the dark of night, the families came, each in their truck, and lined up their trucks along the road. Finally the Big Huge semi with the sheep came in the middle of the night. I got to be one of the people who ran the lambs from the big truck to the families trucks. So, midnight sheep smuggling. Who knew? It’s the most fun thing I have ever done, or been a part of. Then the families drove off to their hogans with their lambs, and the Big Huge semi went back to Utah. Good night, Moon.
Thank you for sharing, Kathleen!