Felix the Cat

Our cat, Felix, joined our family on September 16, 1993.  He died on September 15, 2011.

He was my daughter's kitty and then he became mine.  I miss him dearly.  I find myself still tearing and feeling deep sadness when I think about him.  Our veterinarian clinic sent a sympathy card with a lovely clay heart with his paw imprint on it.  Tears well up every time I think about this very caring gift.  Tears when I look at it.  Tear when I talk about it. 

Romans 13: 8-14

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

     St. Paul explains to the Christian Community in Rome, which is composed of both Gentile and Jewish converts, that following the law is relevant to their faith. But there is a need to look beyond technically following the law. The need is to focus on loving one another, as Jesus commanded. For when people love one another, behave towards each other with courtesy, respect, acceptance, encouragement, and self-respect, they are fulfilling the law given to the people by Moses.
      I love to play Spider Solitaire on the computer. Until recently, my goal was to use the least possible moves to win a game. I was focused on the score itself. Then my focus changed to the percentage of games I could win. I started paying attention to the statistics and quit worrying about how many moves it took to win the game. My experience of the game has changed. And surprisingly, I win the game more often now than I used to.
    The similarity between my story and St. Paul’s admonition is about shifting the focus from the details to the essential purpose.

Joy and Sorrow

It's an interesting experience to be full of joy and simultaneously weighed down by deep melancholy.  It's both interesting and dreadful.  It's the reality of living with a chronic mild depression - diagnosed as Dysthymia - also known as neurosis. 

Yesterday while I was at church I was experiencing that beautiful sense of union with God, the Eucharist, and the congregation.  I am so grateful to be serving at my church, and I was feeling that gratitude at the deepest level.  What a wonderful way to celebrate our Lord's resurrection.  Yet, every now and then, for a few seconds each time, I would be pulled down into the mudhole of sorrow and melancholy.  Crap!  How can I feel both at the same time?

Nesting Runs in the Family

When Mother traveled with Dad, she would always have a bag full of crossword puzzle books, books to read, and needlework. Depending on the length of the trip, she would also have a blanket and a pillow. As soon as she got into the passenger seat of the car, she would arrange all of her goodies around her legs and lap. Everything was in a place that she could easily retrieve any item when she needed it. It was like she had created a homelike nest, albeit temporary, for her little space in the car.
I realize that I do the same thing whenever I travel, by car or plane.
My bag now has my Nook, my knitting, my phone, my journal, and pens and pencils. I now always take my computer with me, but it goes in a separate bag. I used to carry at least 2 books, the Nook has replaced that need. On a plane trip, I put my computer in the overhead bin. That bag is so heavy that I am lucky to get it into the overhed bin. So I hardly ever use my computer on a plane. Now I use it often when I'm the passenger on trip that takes more than one hour. Anyway . . . To get settled on the plane, I do the same thing Mother does. I get my Nook (or book) out and put it in the seat pocket in front of me. I get my plastic bag with the latest knitting project out and into the seat pocket next to my book. I turn off the network connections (airplane mode) on my phone, but it's ready for me to play games, read email, clean up email, or read a book. Yes, I can read ebooks on my phone too! Now my nest is ready and I can blissfully entertain myself on the trip. Or go to sleep.
What is your nest like? Write a comment to share your nesting habits with the rest of the family.
I love you all, Auntie Vic