A CAT TAIL - SOMETHING DIFFERENT

I was reminded today of our family tale regarding cats

Many years ago, our daughters were promised a cat for exemplary behaviour, and we chose a short-haried tabby (male). He was extremely handsome, as I suppose we all consider our cats. When he was partly grown, he managed to disappear. Weeks went by, and we considered him gone. The girls were heartbroken - my wife was ecstatic!

But..... we had friends who were 'cat-people'.

They just KNEW that we must be mourning our loss, and they sent another friend to our house with a stray kitten he had 'rescued'. It was a fluffy female, and she was quickly so named. My wife was not thrilled. The daughters were.

Then, of course the cat came back, as the old song goes. Our tom returned, fat and healthy, from no-man's land - apparently to stay, checking out the new arrival with approval. Now we had two cats.

So- in due course, we had him neutered, at the proper age.

He stayed a month or so more - and left - this time, for good. We were out $80 for the veterinary bill. 'Fluffy' stayed on, and in her time was also 'fixed' at the veterinarian's. She moved with us, and lived to about 16 years.

Sir Tom, whose actual name I have forgotten, perhaps due to trauma :-)) came back once more, years later, for an impromptu visit, still looking well-fed and regal. His stay lasted only a couple of hours. He had found a home he liked better.

That is our cat-tail, or cat tale if you must. We mourned Fluffy when her time came, but the girls were both adults, away from home, and my wife had tears, although she insisted she hated having even one cat.

Now we have no cat.

Last year, we had mice for the first time. I trapped 10 of them near the kitchen garbage before we were free of them.

BRING YOUR FULL HUMANITY WITH YOU!

Every once in a while, someone will skip coming to church- not because they are sick or otherwise occupied, but because they have done something stupid or something they feel is wrong, and they don't want to be with anyone just then.

I think this is exactly the time that people should show up, warts and all, and let their friends show them some real unconditional love and compassion.

Although we know that we are spiritually perfect, In this human experience, we all carry some imperfection in the material sense. We have character flaws that are balanced by some excellent qualities as well.

I'm proud that the movement our Centre belongs to does not require anyone to check their humanity at the door. We are all just doing the best we can, and some days that's good enough, and the odd time perhaps it's not. Our teachers teach to learn, and they are working out their 'stuff', just like everyone else.

It is important that we don't pretend to be more perfect in the material sense than we are. It is also important that we are clear about our spiritual perfection - perfection in the realm of pure ideas. We work toward realizing more and more of that perfection as we learn and grow.

It's also vital that we don't put someone up on a pedestal and then expect them to stay there 24/7. We can be fellow pilgrims on the path and yet still be fully human at times, with all the foibles and errors that entails.

By choosing well moment by moment we continue to get better and better, with ease and with joy along the way.