Meow!

Cats are interesting creatures! Physically, they have changed little over thousands of years. The physical structure of small house cats is simply the miniature of that of large wild cats. House cats have adapted over time to know how best to get what they want from us besotted humans who fall for a heart-warming purr, a friendly head bump against a human body part or a beguiling, cute meow!

Cats navigate the built environment doing as little harm to themselves as possible as they often seem to pour their bodies through the tiniest of crevices. We had a cat, Mouser (how original), who loved to go for a walk with my father early in the morning. This was not a good idea as Mouser's idea of a walk was to wind himself through my father's feet with each step! On one occasion I tossed him into a shed before my father and I set off for a walk, only to be greeted by Mouser sitting coolly upright on the pillar at the end of the short driveway. To this day, I don't know how he got out of the shed or how he got to the pillar unseen!

To adopt some of the coolness of a cat would not be a bad idea for us mere humans! How often do we look at the challenge of what seems like large obstructing doors blocking movement in relationship or other progressions. Pigeons batter themselves to death or into disabling injury on my conservatory roof on an ongoing basis, never learning! The perceived closed doors and conservatory glass are sometimes excuses for not bothering, for giving up and for blame!

Part of the gift of the day is that each day is part challenge and part bonus! The challenge of today, if embraced today, becomes tomorrow's bonus. The greatest bonus that unfolds from it, is in realising that we are able for more than we thought. There usually is a crack or a crevice that will grant us enough leverage or opportunity to get out of tight corners to a more open space or mind. Like the very cool cat on the pillar, it sometimes looks like everyone else has it sewn up! We're all on the tightrope of life just edging ourselves safely along and everyone falls sometime. Are you a cat or a pigeon?

Cathy Burke
Catechist in the Lucan Partnership of Parishes