Monday Morning Motivation, 1/16/2023

Good morning! How are you? Have you ever thought… We are all tender and fierce. We are soft and strong. We are fragile and courageous. Sometimes all in one day.

A little backstory on Monday Morning Motivation...

Two years ago, the effects of exposure to the daily put-downs, arguments, and constant negativity doled out on social media began to take a toll on me. Working for the State in child-welfare at the time added to the heaviness. Fortunately, being an employee of Health & Welfare gave me access to health resources, and one of those resources was Lunch & Learn seminars available to employees via Zoom and WebEx.

One of the topics offered was the benefits of gratitude, and the scientific proof demonstrating the effectiveness of practicing daily gratitude. This practice can rewire our brain to be more positive, in a world that for all outward appearances seems hell-bent on tearing us down. Especially media, every form of media be it television, movies, music, and especially social. Some days it feels like everything we hold near and dear to our hearts, every belief we cherish, is being washed down a pitiful drain into the bowels of contempt for one another.

In addition, I had taken a course on Coursera titled "The Science of Well-Being" and in that course Professor Santos talked about hedonic adaptation.

From that, a seed was planted in my mind.

And so, I started sending out a private message every Monday to close friends, family, and co-workers (especially the latter, given the circumstances). Messages sent first thing Monday morning, designed to lift anyone who needed it that day. Nothing preachy or moralistic. Simply good, healthy positive words about them. I think the very first message I sent was "You are brilliantly amazing."

I do this with no expectation in return. It is my way of practicing gratitude and connecting with people. Just to let them know I'm here. Some look forward to it each week, others respond and tell me those words were just what they needed. Others never respond, and I've only had one person who responded to let me know I could stop sending them. I didn't ask why; I just honored the request.

Is it working? Yes, I believe so. I know it helps me and many others.

Of these things...

For as long as I can remember, I have felt myself pulled toward the unusual. What-you-could-call the out of the ordinary. Things others may not hold as truths. Esoterics. If our experiences shape our beliefs, then my experiences have created in me the ability to keep an open mind. To see possibilities. Because anything is possible.

I don't believe in coincidence. Well, now that's a handy little contradiction, isn't it? Anything is possible, but I don't believe in concidence. Okay--but here's the thing--I do believe in synchronicity. 

If you've been reading or following my journal, then you know I've had some unusual experiences in my life...okay, some may be an understatement because there have been many. Some I share and talk about, others I keep to myself. 

Everything happens for a reason, of that I am certain.

I'll just get to the point. I love animals, especially horses, cats and dogs. My top three. At the barn where I board my two horses we have several cats ranging in age from 15 years to 1 year. Hard to believe a barn cat in the country has lived 15 years with coyotes and speeding vehicles always near-by, but it's true. That's Sylvester, a big floofy tuxedo male; he's a survivor in every sense of the word. Sylvester's best bud is...or was...Mr. Thomas, a ginger tabby who came to live at the barn as a kitten with his gray tabby litter mate in 2009. Unfortunately a few months after moving in, the gray tabby disappeared--we don't know what happened to him, could be someone fell in love with him and took him home, or something else. We'll never know, he just disappeared.

But I digress. Back to Mr. Thomas, who began to show signs of his age this summer, losing weight and looking poorly as the weeks passed. Myself and two other boarders who share the responsibility of caring for our barn kitties did everything we could to help him gain weight; one gave him vegetable oil, I brought him canned cat food. For a short time he improved, but by the end of August he started losing weight again, he became lethargic, showed interest in food but ate very little. It was clear he wouldn't make it through the harsh winter weather. We started to worry that one day Thomas would just wander off the way cats do when it's their time. Neither of us wanted that for him, all things considered. And yet, I guess we three held on to a thread of hope that maybe we were wrong, and Thomas would improve. 

Thomas, July 2020. In better days, healthy and happy.

A couple of weeks ago, Thomas showed all the signs that it was time to make a difficult decision on his behalf. He had no interest in food, appeared to be extremely weak, and his eyes were dull and empty. After encouraging him to eat something, unsuccessfully, and giving his boney body some extra pets and love, I stepped away knowing it was time. Before I left the barn for home, I turned and gave Thomas one last look. It broke my heart. I contacted my barn kitty caretaker team and we all agreed. The next day, Monday, September 20, while I was at work they took him to the vet to put an end to his suffering. Sometime between 12:30 and 3:10 Thomas crossed the rainbow bridge. Being at work, hearing the news was difficult. I closed my office door and wept for the loss of my sweet ginger boy. Silly I know, but he was such a love-bug and very picky about making friends with people.

My work place is downtown in a non-residential area. Next door is city hall, and the next block over is the county court house and city police department. That day I left work at 5:00 p.m. as I have nearly every day for the last five years. Before I reached my vehicle, with thoughts of Thomas on my mind, I glanced up momentarily and something caught my eye, then stopped me in my tracks. My heart leapt. I pulled my mobile phone out of my purse, switched on the camera and took a photo. Sitting next to the city hall building was a cat. Not just any cat, but a big, ginger tabby cat who closely resembled Mr. Thomas. 

For five years I have walked out of that building at least twice a day, and in all those days I have only seen that ginger tabby cat once (maybe a year ago). The irony wasn't lost on me. I lingered for a moment before walking on to my vehicle. Once inside, I shared the photo I took with my two barn kitty caretaker teammates. The consensus was clear. This was Thomas, letting me know he was fat and happy.

The ginger cat who appeared to me just hours after Thomas crossed the rainbow bridge.

Oddly enough the cat who appeared was a manx, which really means nothing, until you consider the fact that one of the two women who took Thomas to the vet that day also has a manx cat at home. A ginger tabby manx. When I told her the cat I saw outside my work was also a manx, she replied "That's his nod to me that it's ok." I smiled at her reply, then looked up from my mobile phone, but the cat had disappeared. Probably off to do cat stuff.

I think about Thomas every day. I know Sylvester misses his friend, those first few days it saddened me to see Syl sitting alone, waiting for me with that question in his eyes. Where is my friend? We hope he will buddy up with one of the younger kitties but so far he prefers to be alone. 

The world is full of possibilities. Do you notice those little things that happen every day? Those nuances that could bring joy, wisdom, or maybe just a sense of peace to your soul. Open your heart, pay attention, hone your awareness. Sometimes it's those little glimpses, appearing in the blink of an eye, that may carry a small message. A message just for you. A message you didn't know you needed in that moment, that could make all the difference for the rest of your days. You won't forget those moments, and you won't regret the awareness. 

Life is pretty amazing when you stop and look around you.