I HAVE TO ~

 

We are always up early, mine Mommy having coffee, reading the Washington Post on her phone, me having my breakfast, then usually sitting under her chair cause she likes that my tail brushes across her feetz.  This morning tho, she was talking, out loud ~ and a lot, l thought maybe I should listen, so I sat in the other chair and paid attention, well, a little bit.

In my years here, I've learned lots of words ~ I know "paws down", and of course, "no, no".  I really like "good girl" and think I don't hear that often enough, but I digressed, meaning to say all of this talking she was doing, she was kinda sorta reading to me something she said was impawtent from whatever she was reading in her WAPO story ... I'll let her speak, OK?  Meowz.

Junie, it's all about a mind reset, something that takes humans awhile to do, but can be done.  This, from "I have to ~ to ~ I get to."  Usually, I'd think, "I have to clean your litter box", my mind reacting with some stress, some anxiety to get a chore done.  But, if I can work to begin thinking "I get to clean your litter box", my mind will begin to see this as a privilege, a good thing because I'm caring for another little being important to me.  Instead of thinking "I have to design posters for our drama group this week", change the thought process to "I get to design posters," because I know it's a fun group to be part of and all enjoy being together.  Apply "get to" instead of "have to" to so many things ... such a simple thing.  Do you have to vacuum, no, you could let it go ... if you get to vacuum, your home is refreshingly clean and you feel better.  

And just one more ~ passing by the stranger on the street or in the market?  Do you look down, in this fractious world of today?  Consider thinking, the mind reset, "I get to", I get to look up and smile or nod.  You don't have to, but it isn't so hard to do.  Endorphins will flood the brain, those feel good chemicals.  The stranger may or may not return your smile, your nod.  But if they do, for that one second in time you each "get to feel good" and two worlds have become a better place.

Well, mine Mommy, I didn't understand all your words, 

but I kinda sorta think I understood a few.

So, do I get to have a treat now?

We'll work on this together, dear,

you may not fully understand yet,

purrhaps a treat later.