I had an idea for a new book. It would be little life lessons and pictures. The title – at this time – is Feline Life Lessons. The short life lessons would be accompanied by cat pictures. The pictures would be of my cats and those of my friends/followers. So, if you have cat(s) and some good shots of them, if you feel inspired by the lessons I will cover over the next several posts, please send them along. You will, of course, get full credit for your pic(s).
Today, Feline Life Lessons #1: DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY
My chocolate Siamese, Marlowe, has this lesson down. He likes to sleep with me at night. He will snuggle right next to me. If he was bigger, you would say he was spooning. He usually wraps up right behind my knees. Unfortunately sometimes he curls up before I’m completely settled. In these cases he will get moved, bumped and even knocked off the bed while I’m trying to get comfortable. It doesn’t faze him at all. He just keeps coming back and laying down. Eventually, I will be settled and so will he. He also likes to sleep on my chest when I’m on my back. When I roll over, he won’t get huffy, he’ll just change his position to match mine.
If he was a person, he’d get all bent out of shape. He might think, or even say, “What? Don’t you love me? What’s going on? You don’t want to snuggle? Did I do something wrong? Well, then, maybe I just won’t snuggle with you anymore. Jerk.” As a cat, he doesn’t take it personally. He knows at some level that it’s not about him.
This last week I had to take Marlowe to the vet. He’s about 12 years old and this is the first time I’ve taken him. I give him his shots myself so there’s never been a need. The last time he was at a vets office is probably when his previous owners took him to get fixed. I took him in to get a cyst removed from his side. You’d think he would be pretty pissed at me for that.
Nope, he didn’t take it personally. He didn’t hold a grudge. He was happy to be home and be able to snuggle and get his love. Even if he did have to wear an embarrassing cone and weird sweater, he realized it wasn’t about him. It just needed to be.
So take a lesson from Marlowe.
- It’s not about you. Others are wrapped up in themselves. Any perceived snub is about how the other person feels, what they need. Not about you.
- A thing is what it is. There is no need to read anything into events. Like Marlowe’s cyst, sometimes a thing just needs to be and to be dealt with. It has nothing to do with you.
- Expect the best of others. In general, there is usually a good reason for what is happening. It’s not about you.
I look forward to sharing more Feline Life Lessons with you. Live like a cat and see how your life improves!
Hugs,
Christie Mawer – The Bad Kitty
thebadkittyis@gmail.com