Some of my best ideas come to me in the shower. I seem to completely zone out under the falling water, which leaves me relaxed and open to any pearls of wisdom that might be trying to find me.

This morning I was in the shower, thinking about how dear my cat, Dickens, has become to me. He is the only male in my home – his three siblings are females. For many years Dickens and my dog, Jake, provided strong male critter energy for me. Jake is gone now, and as a single woman I’ve come to think of Dickens as my knight in shining armor.

There are many funny little books about why dogs/cats are better than men/women – I won’t go there. But Dickens really is very grounding to me, in a way that is different from his sisters.

He is the biggest scaredy cat you could ever imagine – this cat used to be afraid of ears of corn and large, baking potatoes! But around me he is the perfect guy. He knows when I need him by my side, and when it’s ok to be off in the other part of the house. He eats anything I put in his bowl. He lets me know in a clear, concise way that something needs my attention, like a fallen bird or an empty food dish.

Occasionally he feels the need to whack one of his sisters on the side of her head, but he also seems to know when a sister needs comforting. And, he is a perfect role model for healthy living – together we have taken 5 ½ pounds off his large frame. Trust me…Dickens NEVER lets me forget that!

OK – he doesn’t cook, and he certainly doesn’t contribute to the financial coffers of the household. Maybe this four-legged guy IS lacking in some areas that only a two-legged male could fill.

I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. There was Dickens, sprawled out on the floor. He looked up at me, wagged his tail and purred like a panther. In his eyes I was a size four supermodel…and I was fabulous!

Like I said…a knight in shining armor.

Chris