Author: Lisa

cats

Are we a reality show for beings on another planet?

Lisa

Could we be the “Idiots of Planet Earth” show in some galaxy far far away? (amazon)
realityshow-placeit

Probably not. In a way though, my life is on display to superior beings. I live with 2 cats that observe my every move. They like to be near me, so they follow me around and watch what I do. When I settle in on the computer, the sofa, reading chair, etc., they settle into a nap. If I get up and move around, they get up and see what the fuss is about. I like to think it’s because of their intense interest in me, though it could be food related.

They are the perfect audience for me. They love me unconditionally. They don’t care how I look naked. They are happy when I come home. No matter how soundly they are sleeping when they hear the door open, they are there. Sometimes slowly waking up. Sometimes one will be waking even more slowly, and walking up to join the first one as I enter. I love coming home to them.

Recently I placed a blanket on the back of the sofa. The sofa has comfy cushions along the back, and the back is slightly tilted, so a gap widens as it hangs down the back. This has created a tunnel for patrolling, a hide and seek spot, and a place to hang out. Clearly I need to leave the blanket there now. This is also how the piece of canvas ended up remaining in a random spot on the floor. I have multiple cat trees and elevated cat beds, as well as several other lounging spots by windows and elsewhere for them. My house has been decorated by my cats.
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I think one of the reasons I love animals so much is that there is no malice in them. They wouldn’t do the kinds of cruel and destructive stuff I see people do.
They have emotions and my kitties have very expressive eyes. They are mostly about love and I love them more every day.

Who do you love?

growth

Metamorphosis

Lisa

There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly. ~R. Buckminster Fuller

Butterflies hatch from a chrysalis, a stage in the life of a butterfly. It’s actually the hardened outer skin of a butterfly pupa. A cocoon is an external structure that is spun from silk and surrounds the pupa of many moths.

When people talk about the transformational imagery of butterflies, they usually make references to cocoons. Remember the movie, Cocoon? Maybe cocoon sounds less clinical than chrysalis, although chrysalis is a pretty word. Anyway, cocoons have become symbolic of transformation. Sometimes it’s just to rest, like being holed up on a rainy day under blankets and watching movies or reading books, emerging more rested and able to get back into life. Other times it’s on a bigger scale. Coming out of the cocoon can mean moving out on our own, changing careers, achieving personal growth.

As a self-help junkie, I love the transformational symbolism of butterflies. This little egg grows, outgrows it’s skin a few times, then becomes a gorgeous butterfly. What’s not to love about this? While I haven’t always felt like a beautiful butterfly, I can say that every time I have come through a difficult challenge or pushed myself to make change, I do feel better about myself. I feel stronger and happier and more at peace with my life. There’s beauty in that. Change isn’t always easy, and endings can be painful. The butterfly imagery always gives me hope.

Last year was really hard for me. My mom died. She was such a big part of my daily life. I miss her so much and spent a lot of last year in a cocoon, healing from the loss. I accept that it was her time, and I’m glad that she had a peaceful exit. Her body had become an inhospitable place for her spirit. She is free from it now, an ethereal butterfly.

Are you in the middle of change? If you need a nudge, check out this t-shirt on amazon. Maybe it’s your time to leave the cocoon.

Yes, I know technically I should have used “chrysalis.” 😀

Have a beautiful day.

What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly. ~Lao Tzu
cocoon-woman-placeit

cats

Caturday

Lisa

Once Zara & Safari began living with me, I started posting pics of them every day on Instagram. Lots of pics. That’s when I fully embraced #caturday.

Of course I had previously seen the hashtag all over social media and understood it was about posting cat pics. It’s just that before I started living with cats, I didn’t fully get how much I loved them. I thought it would be cool to have one when I was a kid and I loved other people’s cats. Then I met my two and bam! I fell so hard. I love them with all my heart.

Caturday is now a way of life for me. They are the center of my universe. I want them to have a great day, every day. My heart swells when I see them playing together, grooming each other and snuggling. If they are cuddled together with me, I’m in a state of bliss. The joy helps to compensate for the discomfort and pain in the body part(s) that are falling sleep or getting stiff because I don’t dare move.

I offer this pic as evidence. I’m cat-trapped. The struggle is real and so is the love.

T-shirt and long sleeve at Amazon.

Have a beautiful day!

growth

Do we need a sarcasm font?

Lisa

I was a very sarcastic young person. Especially in junior high. I think I was drawn to it for the humor and creativity. I prefer believing this versus thinking I was a jerk. It feels true to me, because I was also kind and compassionate. I didn’t understand then why I was so sarcastic, other than for humor. I believe I was vaguely aware of some mental stimulation, but otherwise I had no answer to the question, “why are you so sarcastic?

Though I meant no malice, I learned that it wasn’t always received as intended and year by year I toned it down. I improved my filters, didn’t always say what I was thinking, and became a bit more sensitive to timing. Decades later I still enjoy it though I feel I indulge with sensitivity.

I once read a summary of a study that showed people were more creative after giving and receiving sarcastic remarks. One of the explanations offered is because it requires decoding contradictions. That makes perfect sense. Sarcasm requires making quick connections. I got to thinking about my past and sent some love to my quick-thinking younger self. It helped me understand her a little better.

Sarcasm is fun, though sometimes tricky in a text or online communication. Comments can feel harsh without a smile or warm tone of voice. Adding an emoji doesn’t always help. I suppose a sarcasm font could make a difference, but wouldn’t that take some of the fun out of it? Having the moment of realization is part of the humor. Maybe instead people just need to trust each other more.

What do you think?

Setting: Sarcasm ON t- shirt available at Amazon