Cats are the antithesis of me. I am an Emotional-Roller-Coasting Industrious People Pleaser; a #2 on the Enneagram. I work hard. And when I am not working hard, I worry that I should be working hard. So then I work hard some more. And in between working hard, I navel gaze. And reflect. And then get up to do some more work.
I have two felines who employee me as a Domestic Servant. I clean around them, keep their bowls filled, and provide a warm lap on the rare occasion they acknowledge my presence. They seem to tolerate me. Perhaps they even like me. But it’s hard to really tell. They have yet to kick me out, on the one hand. Or show me any gratitude, on the other hand. They are definitely not encouragers. And the only distribution they ever make to our household is the periodic hairball on my carpet. Or white sofa.
As I watched them doze this morning on Rock Star’s bed, and continue to doze this afternoon on Rock Star’s bed, and then presently still inhabit Rock Star’s bed 9 hours later, I am wondering about their lives. With a bit of longing. What would it be like to be a Lazy, Self-Indulgent Narcissistic Taker, who wiles her days away napping in the sunshine? Who only gets off the bed to hop onto another bed across the hall and nap again? Who then gets up to stretch, move to the other side of the bed and nap some more? Who wakes up only to have a snack, swat a moth, and then find a patch of sunshine for the purpose of yet another nap to pass the hours until bedtime? It sounds blissful, frankly.
And I envy the cattitude. I find it oddly appealing, in a perverse kind of way. No worries about the economic state of our nation. No concerns about future provision. No caring about what others think of me. No need to feel the need to lift a finger. Not ever. No pretending to like someone I actually do not. I could just hide under a bed if I’m not feeling hospitable. Or look the other way and pretend they’re invisible. No feelings of shame or guilt. No shouldering others’ burdens. No introspection or character work. I could live in the moment and look out for #1. Complete self-absorption. That would be me, were I a cat. Me Me Me all the time time time.
Cats have the market on The Charmed Life, that’s for sure. And on some days, it appears quite enchanting.
1 comment:
Cats beleive that if all else fails, they can always smother you in your sleep and eat your remains until another human comes along to take care of them. Or, they just have brains the size of peas. Either way. Dogs, on the other hand, love you so much that they will let you pee on them! Go Dogs!
(good blog, Kel)
Post a Comment