My indoor cat Harvey was sitting by the French doors this morning and I decided to take him outside onto the deck for some fresh air. He was only content briefly in my arms before he began crying to be put down so he could explore. He doesn’t realize that what he wants is not going to turn out like he imagines.
Harvey thinks that if I put him down, he can sniff around without danger of other animals or the danger of wandering off, which he did when he was a kitten. He suffered injuries while being gone for 8 days as a five month old kitten and we’re lucky to even have him back. He’s been inside ever since, nine years now and lives a great life.
Knowing the dangers of letting an inside cat naively explore outside, I allowed him a taste of outdoors in my arms while keeping him safe. Within just a few minutes, he began whining for more. I knew what he didn’t know and I couldn’t give him what he wanted.
Unfortunately, Harvey couldn’t accept the gift I WAS able to offer him of being outside to see, hear and smell lots of new things, feel the warmth of direct sunshine on his fur and breathe the fresh air. He only experienced about five minutes of that, mostly while complaining, before I put him back inside.
Harvey missed what was available to him because he was more focused on what he couldn’t have. He wanted it all and when he couldn’t get that, he ended up right back inside as a result of rejecting the gifts I did offer to him.
As Harvey’s guardian, my main concern is to keep him safe and look out for his well-being. That is more important to me than temporarily satisfying his whims. I can see the bigger picture; he can’t. If I could communicate with Harvey in a way that he could understand, I would tell him that he just has to trust me—trust that I know things he doesn’t and I am aware of pitfalls he isn’t considering.
Given the absence of direct communication, although I am quite the cat whisperer, I have to do my job whether he likes it or not. I love the saying rejection is protection. He may never fully appreciate how much I love, provide for and protect him but maybe somewhere inside, Harvey knows I am working all things for his good.
How often have we missed the gifts that ARE present because they’re not everything we hoped for? How often have we doubted we are being cared for in those moments because we aren’t experiencing everything we wanted?
For today I will look around and appreciate what is going well, even if in my mind, there are missing pieces. Rather than focus on my discontentment, I will say thanks to my Guardian for making my well-being a top priority even when it doesn’t seem like it to me. I will be thankful that I’m NOT being given everything I want, with my limited perspective.
Many of us can think of things we prayed for and now see why they didn’t happen (thank goodness). I will exercise trust that my highest good is unfolding in the very best way and in the best timing for me. Amen. Will you join me today in this prayer of gratitude for your perfect life also?
