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.
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.
Like I said…a knight in shining armor.
Chris