Warm and Safe

Warning: this post contains life lessons learned in the presence of my cat and should not be construed as pathetic. :)

Until this summer, Braeya had only ever known life in a two-cat home. She came to live with me when Kaegan was five and for the five years they shared, she did her best to amuse and entertain him and he met each effort with a blink and a turned head. In the days since his death, she's really had to work to find a new normal. It hasn't helped that he died the same month I started a new job that takes much more of my time than the old one.

I do feel sorry for the poor girl.

She sleeps in my bed every night (although in her mind, I'm sure it's that I sleep in HER bed...) and usually when I get up in the morning, she gets up too. Yesterday she kept sleeping. (Must be nice.)

When I got out of bed and stumbled toward the lamp to turn it on, I tripped over this pile:
I started to say "BRAEYA!!!!" but when I turned around, she was so angelic there on the end of her bed with one paw stretched out and one tucked under her chin...which is how she always sleeps. I couldn't yell at her for leaving her toys at the end of the bed when she looked that cute.

Then, because I'm learning to reframe, you know, I looked at this pile of toys and thought to myself, It's not like she put them there TO trip me. She put them there because that's what she does when she goes to bed. She brings her favorite toy from that day...carries it in her mouth like she's a dog...and deposits it right by where she plans to sleep so that it will be ready for the next day. It's her house too, and she knows it. She's warm and safe here. Safe to leave a pile of toys at the end of the bed.

Warm and safe. Isn't that a good feeling? Since I've been counting 1000 gifts, I've been very aware of the simple blessings. Things like warmth and safety. Not everyone has that, you know.

This girl has it.
Even if it means taking a nap on my shirt before I iron it.

Or confiscating my fat chair for (imagine it) another nap.

But my favorite is when she curls right up ON me and snuggles for a while. She's not a lap cat, so those moments are rare. When she drapes that one little paw on me...I know she feels the warmest...and she knows she's safe here.

When I backed out of the driveway to go to work, two cats sat in the drizzle, hiding under cars for shelter. I glanced at them, thinking about Braeya sacked out on my bed, with her toys at hand, all warm and safe.

Not everyone knows warmth and safety.

I'm blessed.