Okay, I Shouldn't Have

I admit it, I shouldn’t have laughed. But knowing what had led up to this, what happened was funny.

The night before last, I heard Celine suddenly call out “Down cat!” She said this not because she doesn’t know the cats’ names. Rather, she didn’t know which one was the guilty party this time. After all there were three of them in the kitchen and she was in the lounge next to the kitchen. The fourth cat was in a small enclosed hallway, and the fifth was in a bedroom. Yup, you read correctly—five cats.

Lest you think Celine is a crazy cat lady, allow me to set the record straight on her behalf. Up until the day a friend and I were here and allowed Shandy (an outside cat whose mother had been given shelter here) inside for the first time, Celine had never allowed a cat in the house.

Now, several years later, there were five.

Kahleen, (the resident cat as she likes to view herself) was enjoying her new basket in the hallway. She had been taken in a year ago when a close friend passed away. Nancy and Kelly's cat was in their room. The three cats in the kitchen were taken in because Celine’s adopted daughter is moving to France.

So what has this Tale of Five Cats got to do with Buddhism? 

First lesson—giving fearlessness. One of the three practices in giving is that of fearlessness, which is removing the worries and insecurities of others. Celine and Nancy brought the three cats inside to discourage a large feral cat that has been coming around at night to the verandah where the three cats have been sleeping. The plan is to bring the cats inside for a week in the hope the feral cat will stop coming around.

Second lesson—compassion. It takes a lot to put the welfare of others (in this case four cats) above your own preferences, to allow the "others" inside your house, and to care for them.

Third lesson—humor. We often talk about happiness and contentment in Buddhism. I'll extrapolate from this that be be happy, a good sense of humor helps. And it takes a good sense of humor to not get angry when you hear the sound of a cat landing on your kitchen table even though you tried to render the table top unappealing through the placement of various boxes and sheets.
 

Comments

[Penny]

Aww, i love cats!!!!!!!!!!!!I totally agree that a good sense of humor is essential to suppress anger,an obstacle that i have tried to overcome in ages.