Today is my my cats' birthday! My three fur-children were born on November 4th 2020, just in time to be the perfect medicine for the troubled times we were living through. Back then, I was new to the area and had been living in Argentina less than a year. My only friend was my partner and, needless to say, I was feeling a bit lonely and isolated far from home and without much community.
Then, this pile of cuties were born and changed everything. I was working from home at the time and with the intense restrictions in the country there wasn't much possibility for leaving my neighborhood. Not that I had anywhere to go or anyone to visit anyway. My days were filled with taking care of these kittens and their mom. I laughed more than I had in years at the anticts of these sweet little fur balls.
Tears were also shed as (long story made short) not all of our cats made it to 2024. I have a lot of regrets and wish I could have done things differently with the knowledge I have now. But, that is life on the farm and I have to accept the less of our mama cat as well as one of the kittens.
Today I celebrate the life of the three who did survive and have filled our house with a homey feeling that only cats can; Paprika, Reishi, and Tacu!
Anyone who lives will cats will have undoubtedly noticed the hours and hours they spend each day grooming themselves. Most cats are opposed to showers and baths and their solution for hygiene is cleaning themselves constantly throughout the day. I love to watch them bask in the sun, grooming themselves, and nap indulgently whenever and where ever they please.
And in a world that is all about the hussle, I think there is a lot to learn from cats. They do what they need to do to survive either by hunting or making strong bonds with humans, then spend the rest of the day taking care of their bodies.
What if I were to live like that?
In an effort to love myself and take care of this container where "I" live, I am trying out the cat way.
I am acting like a cat in my movements and routines. It doesn't have to be complicated. I have started with stretching more and being more intentional in simple routines, like brushing my hair. Instead of my previous habit of forgetting to brush my hair for days, and wearing make up to cover up for my lack of rest I am doing as a cat would: brushing my hair often, resting as needed, and stretching in the sunshine throughout my work day.
And, you know what? It has done wonders for my physical appearance as well as my mental health.
I will likely never part with my eye liner and will certainly get more tattoos, but besides that I wear little make up an adornment. Brushing my hair several times a day with a gentle, boar bristle bush has my hair feeling thick and looking healthy.
The bags and wrinkles under my eyes are going away as I have been making the time to get the amount of sleep necessary for my body to recover. As it turns out, getting plenty of sleep really is the best eye cream.
