lessons i learned from my cats

1.  dolce far niente or the art of doing nothing. i used to feel guilty about doing nothing because i thought i was being lazy.  in a society that glorifies busy-ness, it is self-care to take time to relax and enjoy the beauty of stillness.

2.  choose, don't settle.  my cats have "expensive" taste when it comes to their food.  if it's canned sardines, they will just smell it for a few seconds and continue on what they're doing.  i had no other choice but to serve them freshly cooked fish every day.

3. sacrifice.  when you love your pets so dearly, you have to make little (or big) sacrifices.  more than half of my budget now goes to my cats.  there are times when i would eat instant noodles or artificially-flavored chili and beans so that i could buy fresh fish from the market.

4.  time for play.  no one can stop my cats from playing - even if it's 3 o'clock in the morning.  as an old adage goes, all work and no play makes jack a dull boy.

5.  un-plug.  i spend so much time on my laptop without me even noticing it.  my cats are my constant reminder to stay away from technology for a while, and do more productive things such as household chores or groceries.  or better still, get a much-needed sleep.

6.  things are just things.  nothing is too precious when it comes to my cats.  they would play hide and seek on our custom-made curtains, make my belgian rug a makeshift scratching area for their nails, sleep inside my beloved vintage bags, eat my favorite desserts, and the list goes on.

7.  honor your negative emotions.  mainstream media thought us to stay positive, be strong, and never show a hint of sensitivity.  my cats thought me otherwise.  i lost my cat, kuti, last january and pretended to be okay with it for days.  it backfired because i was restless and crying for the next few days.  when you're sad and lonely, honor that emotion.  when you're angry and mad as hell, honor that emotion.  being in touch with your true emotion is the only way to set yourself free.

8.  the art of moving on.  ming-ming was purring and growling incessantly after he realized that kuti was nowhere to be found.  after just 2 days, however, he was back to normal.  if a cat can move on that fast, why can't i?  i tried to focus all my energy with ming-ming after that.  with a bit of sadness, i'm still thankful that i didn't lose both of them.

9.  belief in a higher being.   i asked the universe for help to bring back my cat, kuti, because i was losing hope of ever finding her again.  i prayed and prayed for months.  and then, on the same day i said goodbye to the memories of kuti, one scrawny kitty with the same quirks and same stumpy tail appeared in our backyard.  i felt the spirit of kuti in my new animal friend, mozart.

10.  cats are not just cats.  they are considered as my friends and part of my family.  they thought me how to love unconditionally, how to sacrifice, how to grieve and move on, how to relax, how to have fun, and most importantly, how to be myself when no one is watching.  my life wouldn't be the same without them.