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.