I have always felt that my cats teach me a new life lesson every week. It seems that they are constantly doing things that might seem normal to the average person, but to a cat owner, they have a deeper meaning.
Anyone who owns a cat will tell you that they can be stubborn. Independent might be the better word for it. You would have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting a cat to sit or roll over. You can try, of course, but a cat will just give you this look, that says “Please, go ahead. Tell me to sit again. I’m having fun watching you make a fool of yourself.”
Not to say that cats are mean, because there is nothing more sweet than a cat cuddling up to you for a snuggle when you are just about to go to bed, or waking up to the steady sound of a cat purring on your comforter on a Saturday morning. Cats are one of the most adorable, sweetest, kindest creatures alive. However, they are also the most stubborn animal you will ever own.
There are some things in life that cats will not budge on. For my cats, this is their eating time. They eat at five o’clock in the morning. No exceptions. This is partially my fault, as years ago, I started feeding them at this time when I woke up. Now, I can’t sleep past five thirty without having a cat wake me up by complaining loudly or walking on my face.
In other things in life, however, cats can sometimes surprise you. Most people know that I play the piano. This means that we have an electronic piano in our house, complete with a cushioned piano bench that I sit on while playing. My cats happen to like this bench very much.
Recently, I went to play the piano, and there was already an occupant on the seat. It was one of my cats (Napoleon) snoozing happily on the bench. l felt bad, but I had to move him in order to practice. I scooped him up, and put him on the couch in the other room. Later, when I passed by, I saw Napoleon sleeping just as happily on the couch. Maybe it wasn’t where he originally hoped to nap, but he chose to make the best with what he had.
He must have known that there was no point in trying to go back to the bench, as there was no way that he could have made me move. When I put him on the couch, he must have felt irritated and upset with me. He was enjoying his day, when I made him move and changed his plans. However, instead of running off and sulking, or getting mad at me, he just settled down where I put him, and decided to make the best of it.
I have had first hand experience with this kind of situation. Now, I wasn’t picked up by a giant and moved from a place where I was sleeping, but there have been countless times when I felt out of control. Whether it was because of a surprise speech announcement, a sudden all-day shopping trip, or a fight with a sibling, I did not handle that feeling well. I would sulk in my little hidey-hole and generally protest against whatever it was that made me feel that way. However, I think my cat has shown me that there is a better way.
We can’t always control the world around us. Things happen without our acknowledgment, and sometimes we are powerless to change it back. However, we can choose how we react to these changes. We can either sulk in the corner, or we can settle down into the situation that we’ve been placed, and try to enjoy ourselves. This week, try to keep Napoleon in mind, and if you feel out of control, remember that instead of reacting negatively, you can choose to act like my cat on the piano bench, and roll with whatever life throws your way. See you next week!
“Reprinted from Hagel Publications, Inc. dba as Courier Newspapers”