Cat Hullabaloo at Pudding Creek
Sometimes when I practice meditation, I repeat a few words to help me with my practice of staying steady while life happens (because it does even when just sitting quietly minding my own business). I especially love the phrases that I learned from Sylvia Boorstein, "May I meet this moment fully, may I meet it as a friend.” I repeat the words and try to follow them as instructions. Slowly I learn to meditate which isn't about only being in a certain peaceful state but about meeting each moment in a friendly and undefended manner. It turns out that with some practice the instructions start to sink in not just in meditation, but as I move through my day.
About a month ago a young cat showed up in the woods by the neighbor's house. This neighbor already has four 17 year old cats that like to sit in the sun with us as we chat and drink tea. The new cat is just barely past being a kitten and has started fighting with BB, Mama, Peaches, and Puddy for territory and food. I have been coming over with delicious kibble and eggs scrambled in butter to lure the new kitty into the barn and away from the existing cat family. One morning, I was in a hurry and preoccupied with a program that I was scheduled to lead in just an hour. I showed up with food and found a hullabaloo - the cats were fighting. I didn't want to help and I didn't want to take too much time as I had very important things to do! Somehow, by grace, by practice, I remembered the instructions to meet each moment with wholehearted friendliness. So I put down the kibble and eggs and went about collecting the scattered recalcitrant cats to get them to safety. Then I found the young cat and gave him his breakfast. I was fine, the program was fine, the cats were all safe and fed. Everything unfolded just as it does, which is, of course, not always as I prefer, but as things do.
I named the cat Tiger because he is a fighter. Even so, he meows with a sweet little timid voice when I call. Just like me, Tiger is learning. Last night and this morning he came to the Refuge for dinner and breakfast. (update: Tiger has turned out to be a love muffin who likes to go on hikes with me and cuddle on the couch!!!)
In other news, I am collecting seeds for next year's garden. The photo above shows scarlet runner beans, peas, and poppy pods.