You know that expression "cat's life".
For me, it is an expression and symbol of bliss, of the easy and carefree life, full of pleasures and sense of freedom, which only cats are capable of.
And which I think you will see represented best in these pictures.
I've told you before that cats (unlike us humans) are great at enjoying life. Here and now. In the most primal way possible, but at the same time in the most elevated way possible. In the wisest way possible - since these creatures are wiser than us anyway.
It's clear from the way the cats are enjoying life that they are in the here and now. There is no tomorrow, there is no: what happened yesterday? Why didn't I catch that damn mouse? And why did that pigeon slip away from me? My human didn't give us pate today, damn it, I'm going to suffer today because of it, etc.
It's rather: what warm sunshine there is today, and the tiles are so attractive, I love them, now I'm going to give myself completely to them, what happiness... (remember those pictures I showed you recently of our princess sleeping on metal pipes). 😄
Happiness. And carelessness.
The cat I'm showing you, our princess, is no more. But I'm sure she never occupied her beautiful head with thoughts like: How long will my life be? Will I be there tomorrow? Will I go back home tomorrow?
She enjoyed every single minute of her time here on earth. In our yard, on my windowsill.
In a way only she can.
In a way only a cat can.
In a way that I personally cannot.
(yes, I know she was sent to me to be my zen teacher, and even now that she is gone, her pictures remind me constantly of that mission of hers 😍)
So when I start to mourn her absence, I remember one thing - she lived a great life (like any cat), wild, free and crazy. She always did what she wanted. She went wherever she wanted. She lived 100%.
(You could tell by her look how confident she was. Uncompromising and self-confident.)
You know that parable about the inscriptions on tombstones in a cemetery indicating not the length of life, but the time during which the particular deceased person was happy.
This time, compared to the length of any one life, is negligibly short.
In people's lives.
But in the lives of cats?
I'm not sure there is such a term as "happiness" in cat life. There is rather the term "enjoyment" and "full value".
Name another animal, a pet, that is capable of that.
Dog? No way. Dogs are so focused on pleasing their owners that they are unable to fully enjoy life.
Or they are capable, but not in the way we understand it, the way cats understand it.
Cats are unapologetic enjoyers. They take no account of anyone. They don't ask anyone, they don't seek approval from anyone. They are just looking for the most comfortable (for them) place where they can enjoy life peacefully without any intruder interfering.
"Leave me alone" - that's what our princess's face said every time I photographed her while she rested and enjoyed herself. "Go do your mindlessly-important human activities while I do the all-important cat ones" - that's what she said.
Unforgiving and unapologetic.
Not tolerating objection.
My beloved Zen teacher. 😻
Happy #CaturDay to you all, cat lovers!
Copyright: @soulsdetour
 | Soul's Detour is a project started by me years ago when I had a blog about historical and not so popular tourist destinations in Eastern Belgium, West Germany and Luxembourg. Nowadays, this blog no longer exists, but I'm still here - passionate about architecture, art and mysteries and eager to share my discoveries and point of view with you. |