My cat is my Zen Master.
This morning, I drew water so I could take a bath, and my cat decided to investigate what was going on.
She hopped up onto the side of the tub and peered into the water.
Unfortunately, the side of the tub was slippery, and she fell headfirst into the deep, warm bathwater.
She was one upset kitty! It took her an hour to fully dry off, and she wouldn't let me near her at first because I think she suspected I had planned the whole affair.
Hours later, however, she is completely over that whole accident, and she has put the past behind her.
She naps on the sofa as we speak, purring softly as I pet her now completely dry, fluffy little head.
While falling into a bathtub headfirst has never been a problem of mine, I have had unfortunate incidents to spare in which I turn up shivering, soaking wet, and unhappy.
Someone hurt my feelings, didn't give me the credit I deserved, or didn't call me back.
Unfortunately, since I am not a Zen Cat, I don't dry off and bounce back quite so quickly as my master does.
When something bad happens to me, I'll suffer for a tedious while, chewing on the event much like I would a huge wad of salt water taffy.
I savor the sweet flavors of those mysterious nonfood colors.
I taste the sugar blended with corn syrup blended with more sugar, and I like it.
The whole sticky sweet mess of martyrdom stays in my mouth until my jaw gets tired, and then I spit the mess out and file it away into the "awful stuff" files of my mental filing cabinet.
That's icky, I know, and it's how I am beginning to visualize what ruminating over my overblown problems and perceived injustices looks like.
It's just plain icky, and silly, to boot! From this moment on, I vow to do the following: 1.
Acknowledge that the past is unchangeable Whether something happened to me a minute ago, a year ago, or twenty years ago, it's in the past.
The past is an unchangeable entity, and the only thing I can do is dry off, learn from it, and move on.
2.
Examine my interpretations of problems People much wiser than I am --Byron Katie and Eckhart Tolle, for example -- have taught me that it is my thoughts about problems that really wreak havoc, not the actual problems.
If I think I should not fall on my head every now and then, I am simply setting myself for more nauseating episodes in which I will spend time chewing on the problems till my jaw aches.
If I have a problem, I can solve it, and if I cannot solve it, I will let it go.
3.
Stay in the present moment That's really where the power is, anyway, right? The past is a fine teacher, and the future is something to look forward to, but the present is the only place I can ever really reside.
It's nice here, too! There is far less resentment and suffering in the now moment than in any other place I've ever been.
I learned a lot today from my cat's involuntary bath.
Thanks for listening.
Zen Kitty doesn't care that I've told you about her embarrassing story, mainly because she can't read.
Even if she could, however, she wouldn't mind.
She has already moved onto to bigger and better things, like that epic nap on the sofa she is now taking.
This morning, I drew water so I could take a bath, and my cat decided to investigate what was going on.
She hopped up onto the side of the tub and peered into the water.
Unfortunately, the side of the tub was slippery, and she fell headfirst into the deep, warm bathwater.
She was one upset kitty! It took her an hour to fully dry off, and she wouldn't let me near her at first because I think she suspected I had planned the whole affair.
Hours later, however, she is completely over that whole accident, and she has put the past behind her.
She naps on the sofa as we speak, purring softly as I pet her now completely dry, fluffy little head.
While falling into a bathtub headfirst has never been a problem of mine, I have had unfortunate incidents to spare in which I turn up shivering, soaking wet, and unhappy.
Someone hurt my feelings, didn't give me the credit I deserved, or didn't call me back.
Unfortunately, since I am not a Zen Cat, I don't dry off and bounce back quite so quickly as my master does.
When something bad happens to me, I'll suffer for a tedious while, chewing on the event much like I would a huge wad of salt water taffy.
I savor the sweet flavors of those mysterious nonfood colors.
I taste the sugar blended with corn syrup blended with more sugar, and I like it.
The whole sticky sweet mess of martyrdom stays in my mouth until my jaw gets tired, and then I spit the mess out and file it away into the "awful stuff" files of my mental filing cabinet.
That's icky, I know, and it's how I am beginning to visualize what ruminating over my overblown problems and perceived injustices looks like.
It's just plain icky, and silly, to boot! From this moment on, I vow to do the following: 1.
Acknowledge that the past is unchangeable Whether something happened to me a minute ago, a year ago, or twenty years ago, it's in the past.
The past is an unchangeable entity, and the only thing I can do is dry off, learn from it, and move on.
2.
Examine my interpretations of problems People much wiser than I am --Byron Katie and Eckhart Tolle, for example -- have taught me that it is my thoughts about problems that really wreak havoc, not the actual problems.
If I think I should not fall on my head every now and then, I am simply setting myself for more nauseating episodes in which I will spend time chewing on the problems till my jaw aches.
If I have a problem, I can solve it, and if I cannot solve it, I will let it go.
3.
Stay in the present moment That's really where the power is, anyway, right? The past is a fine teacher, and the future is something to look forward to, but the present is the only place I can ever really reside.
It's nice here, too! There is far less resentment and suffering in the now moment than in any other place I've ever been.
I learned a lot today from my cat's involuntary bath.
Thanks for listening.
Zen Kitty doesn't care that I've told you about her embarrassing story, mainly because she can't read.
Even if she could, however, she wouldn't mind.
She has already moved onto to bigger and better things, like that epic nap on the sofa she is now taking.
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