I’ve made a study of our cat, West, and feel I’ve taken some valuable lessons from him.
1- He is always right in the present and where he wants to be. I’ve noticed this about cats, and have often said if reincarnation is a thing, I’ve like to come back as a cat.
2- He is playful, even as an old cat he seems to forget he is older, running around like a kitten and is always up to play. I often wonder if it is because there are no other cats around him to remind him of what old looks like.
3- He only reacts and doesn’t over-react. When I play-fight with him, he only reacts to what happens, and not to what he thinks is going to happen. If I reach toward him, he only reacts if I grab him. And if I grab him, he only reacts with the exact amount of force that I use. If I act like I am going to grab him, he doesn’t react at all. It’s a state I’ve worked toward in martial arts and tai chi. Focusing on the present and not worrying about the future or potential problems is a great lesson learned from this. It is a perfect balance.
Mindfulness and being in the present are great lessons I’ve taken from observing this cat. It reminds me to worry less about things that might happen in the future, or things that happened in the past that I cannot change.