God's Plan
I've heard it said that the best way to make God laugh is to
tell him your plans. Well, I've got a story that proves it.
I've been a cat person since the day I was born. My mom says my
first word after mommy and daddy was 'kitty.' I believe like
Leonardo Da Vinci who said, "The smallest feline is a
masterpiece." I love to watch the antics of cats, to pet those
soft furry bodies and to put my ear next to them when they purr.
There is nothing more soothing than the purr of a cat. And, cats
are the only creatures on earth that can purr. I've tried to
replicate it without success.
There have been 12 cats in my life so far and I know there will
be more. As a matter of fact, for some reason I always know the
name of my next pet well before it ever appears in my life. A
few years ago when Spiff and Maggie were living with me, I knew
Lilly was on the horizon. I assumed Lilly would appear after one
of my two current companions passed on and that Lilly would be a
cat. How wrong I was.
I'm in the habit of visiting adopt-a-pet events. I like to love
on the furballs that find themselves in these unfortunate
circumstances and to leave a donation. Since I've got an
unspoken two-cat limit, I'm rarely tempted to take anyone home.
But, one April day I was in for the surprise of my life. The
Disco Doggy and Kitty Adopt-A-Pet operated out of the Green
Jacket. A dance club by night, it turned into a lifetime
opportunity for hundreds of cats and dogs to meet loving
families. When I walked into the club, a red dog that looked
like an oversized fox caught my eye. The dog's eyes were glued
to Cody, the lady who rescued her from a local shelter just
before she was to be uthenized. I went to say hello and when
Cody was no longer in sight the dog's eyes met with mine if only
for a moment.
Now it doesn't matter whether you believe in past lives or
reincarnation, because I knew instantaneously that this little
spirit was Stormy. Stormy was my grandparents' dog. As a small
child during summer visits, Stormy and I would pal around. He
was the only dog I'd ever felt a close bond with. Remember, I'm
a cat person. So, now I'm asking all kinds of questions about
this dog. And what do I discover? Her name is Lilly. Do you have
goose bumps yet?
The ladies at the adopt-a-pet were very patient as I hemmed and
hawed for at least an hour about whether to take the dog home.
In the end, I said I just couldn't do it and left a sizeable
donation on Lilly's behalf.
The next morning all I could think about was Lilly. Usually, I
can leave an adopt-a-pet without any particular furball sticking
in my mind, but not this time. I called Cody and asked if Lilly
was adopted yesterday. She said a family was interested in her,
but she told them 'no.' She knew Lilly belonged with me. And
that was it. I picked Lilly up on May 1st. We've been together
ever since.
Lilly's helped me through several traumas in our three and a
half years together. On a daily basis, she reminds me how
exciting each new day is as she awakens me with kisses. She's
taught me how important it is to exercise and explore our
surroundings. And, has introduced me to countless new friends.
But most of all on days when life is feeling heavy and I have
thoughts of giving up, she reminds me of God's plan. God wants
us to take care of each other. Lilly and I are sticking to that
plan.
When I called my family in Atlanta to tell them about our
newest member my sister-in-law said, "We never heard you talk
about wanting a dog." I replied, "That's because I never wanted
one." If I had relied on my intellect alone to make the decision
about whether to bring Lilly home, this story would have had a
different ending. Charlotte Kasl, Ph. D. and author of if the
Buddha Married says, "The more we give up reasons and stories in
favor of that deep, strong pull at the center of our gut, the
simpler and happier life becomes." One of my favorite yoga
sutras is "tatra niratisayam sarvajnbijam." It means God knows
everything there is to be known. For Christians, god reveals
this wisdom through the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now the question
is, "Why don't more people take advantage of this gift?"
My answer after teaching eight years of yoga is because most
people don't like to be still, most people don't want to be
quiet and most people don't have enough faith. Instead, we let
our minds take charge. Our minds filled with fears and anxieties
lead us away from God's plan. It certainly wasn't my plan to
have a dog, but she's turned out to be one of the best blessings
I've ever received.