Cats, Zen and Acceptance
If it’s Monday, it must be Mondays with Merlin, with your friendly, neighborhood feline guru. That would me, Merlin, dispenser of wit, wisdom and a few farts when appropriate. I have a secret to tell you about our subject today: acceptance. My mom, Layla is having a hard time accepting a few things like aging. Hers and mine. Most days she goes with the flow but some days, let’s call them non-acceptance days, I catch her groaning at the mirror checking for gray hairs and wrinkles. Thank Cod, I have fur and it’s always been gray since I’m a blue point Siamese.
See this photo of me, it’s the most recent one of me taken yesterday as is. She laments over my lost beauty but I think she’s really missing hers instead. You can see I’ve lost weight but you can’t see the crud in the corners of my eyes, or edges of my mouth that Layla lovingly removes with a warm wet cloth. She tries not to but I know when she’s thinking how did he get so old? You can’t see the bony protrusions of my spine or how brittle my claws are. I don’t care about how I look but before you think I’m some feline Dalai Lama, let me tell you I am not.
Cats have long-term memories. They can recognize people they haven’t seen in years. I know I can’t move as quickly as my younger days. I know I can’t hunt any more. I know I’m an old cat with kidney disease. It’s no fun and I do protest at times, but most days I adhere to the Zen principle of acceptance. What is, simply is. Life is moment-by-moment change. Right now, I’m happy to step from a chair to my heated windowsill cushion, sniffing spring with no regrets.
A feline Zen Master once said: From the pine tree, we learn about the pine, from the bamboo, we learn about bamboo and from the cat, we learn about the cat.
How do you feel about aging?
It’s that time again when BlogPaws the premiere online community for pet bloggers is holding nominations for their Nose-to-Nose Awards Awards by readers. That means you. We’d love a nom or two. You can nominate as many blogs as you like in 12 categories but nominations close 3:00 pm EST Friday, March 8, 2013. Remember to support your non-kitty friends too.
To make it easy peasy to nominate us and you’ll need these details.
Name of blog: Cat Wisdom 101 Name of owner: Layla Morgan Wilde Website URL: www.catwisdom101.com Email: info@catwisdom 101.comThese are direct links for categories.Thank-you!!!
27 Comments
connie marie
You don’t look old Layla, Merlin looks great even with what’s hidden in the photo, for his age and health.
Beauty is only skin deep. It’s what’s inside that matters.
Lynn Delage
I am 65 and have many health issues. there are some days I can hardly get out of bed, literally, and hate it. But I am like Merlin, it is something that happens to everyone and we just have to live with it. I do what I can to slow down the deterioration as I have 4 grandchildren I wish to see grow up but I know some day my time will run out so I try to enjoy the moment.
Angel MoMo and Charlotte
Thanks for the birthday wishes. We have been rather slack in posting and visiting lately due to work pressure.
Please come by and say hi to the new kitty member of our extended family – GiGi. She is a cutie pie.
Oui Oui
We have 2 older kitties – Julie & Carl. Both are almost 17. Its so hard to believe, but we are facing losing them at some point in the next couple years. They don’t act or look any older yet and don’t have any health problems, so its easy not to think about their age. So much has happened since they are adopted as kittens!
Abby
Merlin
Mom looks at me in many of the same respects. Just today I missed being able to jump up on the window sill (which is only about 10″ off the ground) and she lovingly picked me up and put me on the shelf so I could get some nice sunbeams. But she knows it’s age. My main “activity” is sleep. She worries more for me, than herself. But she too shows her age. what she once could do with a blink of the eye is more of a long slow wink. Aging is not for the feint of heart.
Bernadette
I’m so tired of everything around me growing older including me that I don’t pay attention any more!
Layla Morgan Wilde
That might be the best advice!
sue brandes
You both still look beautiful. And I know you are young at heart. Some days I look in the mirror and think what happened and then one of my kitties comes along and tells me I look good and gives me some kitty luv.
Skeeter and Izzy
Aging is just that aging…..neither here nor there. We begin to die at the very moment of our conception so we can either live every day like it is truly our last and know we need to do what makes us happy or we can miss out on the years by dwelling on the negative aspect and think only about heading toward that death…..We choose to dance like no one is watching!
Luvs and purrs to a beautiful,graceful elder statesman and his beautiful,caring Mom.
Skeeter and Izzy >^..^<
Layla Morgan Wilde
Wise words and yes, let’s all dance as if one is watching!
CATachresis
Aging? Even if you don’t accept it, it still happens, if you’re lucky 🙂 Great post xx
Cherry City Kitties
I gotta admit, I am constantly ignoring the mirror, cause when I do, I do see the ages creeping up on me. But then I think, my mancats don’t care (or at least are smart enough not to say so) and my husband doesn’t care (see above), so maybe it’s not that important. Merlin, you are still such a handsome man…gentle headbonks to you.
Brian
Well Merlin, you still got your handsome on! I don’t think aging is overly fun but we gotta all do it!
Marg
That is sure a great post, and Merlin, you look as handsome as ever. Our Person is very old and enjoying the older years. Lots of aches and pains but all kinds of excuses for not being able to do some things. Growing old is not fun and it isn’t for sissies but it is part of life.
da tabbies o trout towne
dood…we think ya look dam good N frum this we lurn bout trout…..
🙂
Colehaus Cats
Good for you, Merlin, and thank you! Your wisdom and insight is most welcome here every day. Purrs…
Katnip Lounge
Thank you Merlin, I needed to hear this message this morning. reality check!
Smooches to you–xx Trish
Debbie
How do we feel about aging? It can come with a lot of aches, pains, and other physical changes, but it’s still better than the alternative.
Cheysuli
The Woman, as she comes up to the big 50 is having a harder time with aging. However, she always remembers Georgia who remained happy no matter what through her illness. Oh she couldn’t do that? Well she’d do this instead… she had such amazing equanamity about the whole thing. We all need to remember that aging happens and that’s that… I mean, what’s the alternative?
nadbugs
paw pats
Fuzzy Tales
Terrific post. Our human is waffling a bit re: the grey hair: bother to keep covering it up or just go for the natural look? It bothers her terribly that in our society it’s taboo for a woman to have grey hair. Pretending we’re not aging and going to die seems ludicrous. She’d like to aim for aging with grace. Merlin, you already have that down pat–aging with grace.
Layla Morgan Wilde (Cat Wisdom 101)
Some women look fabulous with silver gray but it’s up to you. I’m happy the blonde covers my grey hairs 😉
Katie and Coccolino
What a great post and you are beautiful no matter what. We know first hand that cats remember people from years ago. When I was living in Rome, I went every day to feed the cats living in the park nearby. Then we moved (was so hard to leave them!). When we visited last May after 3.5 years, we went back and there were still a few “original” cats. They remembered me and were so happy to see me. It was such a moment. Cats are so special, just like you 🙂
Layla Morgan Wilde (Cat Wisdom 101)
Thanks for sharing the anecdote about cats in Rome.
Tamago
What a great post, Merlin! Acceptance is sometimes difficult but I think things get easier when we do. I don’t like seeing my face getting older every morning, but I care less about myself since my boys have come to life. They are still young…oh I’m sure I will care more and more about their age as they get older, even if they don’t 🙂
Mr Puddy
” Life is moment-by-moment change ”
that’s why my mom didn’t care what she looks like anymore..MOL
Kathryn
He is so beautiful and so are you.