Lessons from the Book of Cat

Today is cold, wet and dreary, I observe my cats.  They gaze out windows for hours on end. What are they waiting for? Fully present opportunists they clearly communicate their needs with patience and persistence that has no limits.  They spend their day napping, bathing, stretching and occasional sun baths.  Although cautious at first, cats are forever friends and readily express affection with gifts (alive or dead), through conversation and touch.  To err is human, to purr is feline. Robert Byrne,

Who doesn’t smile when a cat purrs? (by the way the frequency of purring helps stimulate bone growth) Cats have a clear sense of personal space and entitlement yet their curiosity and playfulness keeps them forever young. We can all take a leaf from the book of cat. - Remembering to live in the present, to take care of ourselves and to face forward to the future knowing that this too shall pass.  

When I am feeling low all I have to do is watch my cats and my courage returns. Charles Bukowski

Please remember me

Nearly 100 years ago today Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne was published. Milne wrote that a writer wants something more than money for his work: he wants permanence. Through his characters we are reminded of simple truths.
 
On Life
Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved. Pooh
When all else fails take a (gong) nap. Pooh

On love
You do not spell love, you feel it. Pooh 

On oneself
You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. Christopher Robin
 

Promise you won’t forget me ever?  Christopher Robin

How could we?

Lunar Lessons

The moon is magic for the soul and light for the senses. Anon 

We continue to bask in the energetic glow of the first super moon of 2021 and a full lunar eclipse.  The moon appears larger because it happens to be closest to the earth in its elliptical orbit.    I do not know anyone who is not a selenophile or moon lover and the past few nights here have blessed us with a clear sky in which to observe and simply gaze at the moon.

It is no secret that the Moon has no light of her own but is, as it were, a mirror, receiving brightness from the influence of the Sun. Vitruvius  And being in a synchronous rotation with Earth, it always shows the same face. Not so dissimilar to us.

This week take inspiration from the moon.

It is faithful to its nature, and its power is never diminished. Deng Ming-Dao

It stays bright when it doesn’t avoid the night. Rumi

The Sun may watch what I do, but the moon knows all my secrets. J. M. Wonderlan

It is the first milestone on the road to the stars. Arthur C. Clarke

What you seek is seeking you. Rumi

Don't tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the Moon. Paul Brandt

Bamboo lessons

Look deep into nature and you will understand everything better. Albert Einstein
Today I share observations and life lessons from bamboo.

Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Beginning as a seed, bamboo take four years to establish a firm network of rhizomes from which it becomes the fastest growing plant on earth growing 90’ in six weeks in year five. All good things come to those who wait. anon

The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists. Japanese Proverb
The tensile strength of bamboo is greater than steel. One reason it is still used as scaffolding in the construction industry in HK. (watch this ) The human capacity for burden is like bamboo, far more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance. Jodi Picoutt

Express your usefulness through simplicity…. Kensho Furuya
This versatile member of the grass family provides food, shelter, protection from the elements, clothing, cooking utensils, fuel, furniture, drinking vessels and more.
Life is simple but we insist on making in complicated. Confucius The greatest wealth is to be content with little. Plato

Whatever is flexible and flowing will grow, whatever is rigid and blocked will wither and die. Tao Te Ching Trimming bamboo will result in new leaves appearing at the cut as well as new canes sprouting from the earth. By letting go it exhibits continuous growth and renewal.
When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need. Lao Tzu

This week become more like the bamboo - patient, deeply rooted, flexible yet strong, see setbacks as opportunities for growth, be useful and find contentment in simplicity.

(inspired by TEDX Be Like Bamboo Tokyo 2011

Happiness is a state of mind, a message from Pope Francis

A recent message from Pope Francis

*You can have flaws, be anxious, and even be angry, but do not forget that your life is the greatest enterprise in the world. Only you can stop it from going bust. Many appreciate you, admire you and love you.

Remember that to be happy is not to have a sky without a storm, a road without accidents, work without fatigue, relationships without disappointments.

To be happy is to find strength in forgiveness, hope in battles, security in the stage of fear, love in discord. It is not only to enjoy the smile, but also to reflect on the sadness. It is not only to celebrate the successes, but to learn lessons from the failures. It is not only to feel happy with the applause, but to be happy in anonymity.

Being happy is not a fatality of destiny, but an achievement for those who can travel within themselves. To be happy is to stop feeling like a victim and become your destiny's author. It is to cross deserts, yet to be able to find an oasis in the depths of our soul. It is to thank God for every morning, for the miracle of life.

Being happy is not being afraid of your own feelings. It's to be able to talk about you. It is having the courage to hear a "no". It is confidence in the face of criticism, even when unjustified. It is to kiss your children, pamper your parents, to live poetic moments with friends, even when they hurt us.

To be happy is to let live the creature that lives in each of us, free, joyful and simple.

And when you make a mistake, start all over again.

For only then will you be in love with life. You will find that to be happy is not to have a perfect life. But use the tears to irrigate tolerance.

Use your losses to train patience.  Use your mistakes to sculptor serenity.

Use pain to plaster pleasure.  Use obstacles to open windows of intelligence.

Never give up .... Never give up on people who love you. Never give up on happiness, for life is an incredible show.*

Lessons from my cat

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.
Albert Schweitzer

Sigmund Freud said Time spent with cats is never wasted.  Garrison Keillor added Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function. So what can we learn from cats?

Cats are connoisseurs of comfort. James Herriot.
They are experts at putting themselves first, maintain impeccable hygiene, get plenty of rest, eat sensibly, sleep in the sun and know where to find a warm lap.

Just watching my cats can make me happy. Paula Cole
They possess an innate sense of curiosity, playfulness, problem solving and determination. 

The ideal of calm exists in a sitting cat. Jules Renard
They are fully present in the moment at all times.  

A cat's very nearness is a healing song. -Shannon Hale
Cats have a high degree of empathy, to sit, listen and unconditionally offer their presence. 

To err is human, to purr is feline.― Robert Byrne
Cats are the only animal that purrs. Purring expresses love, affection and happiness and the frequency of purring stimulates bone growth. 

To be honest, the reason I have my cats is to force myself to think about something other than myself.- Marie Helvin
Cats epitomise independence yet live a life of simple values - food, shelter, family and love.

In the middle of a world that has been a bit mad, a cat walks with confidence. Rosanne Amberson.  As do we. This too shall pass. Take these lessons to heart and be well.