Sunday Morning Serenity

Once again, I am inspired this morning by the felines whose housekeeper I am:) Dave and I just got back from a short trip, and I've noticed a distinct difference between Hank (the tuxedo cat) and Cheeto (the golden boy) when we go out of town. Hank has been with us long enough to know that we never leave without coming back and that all of his needs will be attended to by our sweet neighbors while we're gone. Sometimes he even shows up on their doorstep in the morning, I guess to save Mrs. McKinney the trouble of walking across the driveway to our house. So Hank pouts a bit when he sees us loading the car with suitcases, but he's not frightened by it.

Cheeto, on the other hand, has serious trust/abandonment issues. The sight of suitcases loading into the car makes him very agitated and fearful. He came to us when his previous owner moved to our neighborhood but then decided Cheeto couldn't stay in the house any more. He took to wandering and was on his own for a long time before he claimed squatter's rights in our back yard. I think he sees suitcases and assumes he's about to be left behind again. When we come home, he's is clearly overjoyed and relieved to see us and wants to spend lots of time in the house with us.

Now, there was never any actual cause for Cheeto to worry—he was never going to go hungry; never going to be forgotten; never going to do without anything he needed. But because he couldn't SEE how those needs were going to be met, because he couldn't anticipate what would happen from one day to the next and had to wait to be shown how he would be taken care of, he suffered all this needless anxiety. 

That sounds strangely familiar . . . like somebody else I know . . .

 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for 
and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you
and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30

Comments

[Jennifer McCranie]

That will preach ! Thanks :)

[valerieluesse]

Aw! Thank you! Hug from Bham.