_[Kaite]

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Take Some Time...

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My cat made a special effort to amuse me today. She does this almost every day, but it’s rare that I notice in my mumbo-jumbo-always-late mess of a life. Her name is Penelope, and she’s a calico long haired cat about 1 ½ years old. Penelope makes me giggle, keeps me company, and hides from thunderstorms with me so I don’t feel as goofy doing it by myself. And who am I? I’m Kaite, a 23 year old mother of one, and parent to many. I have more god-kids than I can count on both hands, hehe...

I suppose in the rush of our day to day lives, we can start to lose bits and pieces of ourselves, and almost forget who we are. With children underfoot, and pets in the way, the smaller things can fall through the cracks. It’s good sometimes to stop, drop everything you are doing, and just notice your surroundings, participate, even.

Penelope has been more proactive, of late, about demanding attention from me. She wakes me every morning by meowing until I run out of things to throw at her, and then she’s right at my side, meowing and being generally adorable while I complete my morning routine. She follows me around the house, demanding treats and playtime, and resorting to trip attempts when I don’t immediately comply, all while her sister, a black Himalayan named Lily, looks on in big-sister disdain.

And so today, Penelope woke me as usual, and followed me as usual, but for some reason I stopped what I was doing and just watched her for a few moments while she begged to go outside. I let her out, which is a very rare occasion. I stepped out with her, and noticed the cool breeze blowing down from the lake, the intricate spider’s web hanging from my back porch, and the laughter of little ones not quite old enough to be in school. I took a deep breath of crisp country air, and I smiled. I smiled, and right then I knew this was going to be a good day.

Yes, pausing sometimes is good for us, body, mind, and soul. Take the time to garden, or play with your pets. Let those little chores in the house go for a weekend, in favor of the ones that take you outside. Let your kids show you what they’ve been bugging you about all week. They might surprise you, and you might find the “Mama, Daddy” a little less bothersome next time you hear it.

No matter our individual stresses, family burdens, or corporate troubles, life is good – we just have to remember to recognize that every once in awhile. :)

- Kaite H.

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