Even Cats Love Christmas
Our 5-year-old cat, Yoshi, was diagnosed with renal failure. The
veterinarian claimed that there isn't much he can do. Yoshi will
probably only live a few more years and from time to time he
will need to be put in the hospital for treatment. My wife asked
the doctor about a holistic veterinarian and if there are any in
the area. As it turns out they allow a holistic veterinarian to
use their facilities on Fridays. So we scheduled an appointment.
In about 5 weeks of work, which by the way includes acupuncture,
our cat, Yoshi, is like a new person. (I know, I know but he is
a little person to us.) He loves going to Dr. Fox and during the
usual hour-long appointment he just lays there and purrs.
She actually communicates with him. For all you Cartesian
rationalists out there I know it sounds strange but Dr. Fox
gives us information that she could not have known. Little
intricate details that we did not know until we get home and
check it out. For instance Yoshi told her there was a chip out
of his food bowl and it was bothering him. Sure enough when we
got home there was a chip out of his bowl.
Regardless, she told us Yoshi really loves the Christmas season.
I told her that my mom and dad really worked hard to make the
Christmas season special for my sister, brother and me. Now when
I think of the season it brings a tear to my eye because even as
my parents grew older they would allow me to give them a special
Christmas at our house. I really I miss them.
Dr. Fox also recalled how her parents would go all out for
Christmas but her father was very disciplined and would require
the tinsel to be put on the tree perfectly. She was not that
good at it so he would not let her put it on the tree. Because
of that her Christmas memories are not as fond as mine.
However, I do remember when Christmas changed dramatically in my
life. My dad decided to modernize Christmas and went out and
purchased an aluminum tree with one of those multi-colored
wheels that spun around over a floodlight. I was devastated that
we did not have a real tree for the first time in my life. There
was some retribution though. There was a little setscrew that
held the plastic colored wheel in place over the floodlight.
Once in awhile it would back out and the plastic wheel would
begin to wobble. One day it backed out and the wheel began to
wobble and instead of telling my dad (we were not allowed to
touch it) my sister, brother and me watch this wheel wobble down
on top of the flood light and melt. We waited until it melted
entirely over the light until we called him. Wow was he mad that
day at modern technology.
So what is the point of all this? My wife and I have always had
a real tree. I will admit to being a little obsessive so I was
uncomfortable at times with the dirt a real tree can create. Two
years ago the tree we bought started losing its needles quickly
and we had to take it down two weeks before Christmas. I used
this as an excuse to talk my wife into an artificial tree and
actually had her convinced that it was a really nice tree. That
is until this past Friday when Dr. Fox said Yoshi wants us to
get a real tree again. Furthermore he exclaimed that I don't
want a spruce tree I want a pine tree like three years ago
because it smells so good. The thought of the smell of pine
brought back so many wonderful memories. As I basked in this
joyous feeling I suddenly remembered the dreaded curse of many
of us suffering through a mid life crisis, I am just like my
parents. Well that isn't all bad, just sometimes, and like my
father, I get off track and forget what is really important.
As an ontological coach and more important a human, I often fall
into the drift of life and forget to take a moment to be
thankful and grateful for the world around me. I get so caught
up in the details of life I forget to look up and see the big
picture. On Sunday our Pastor said we should be thankful for the
coincidences in life because they probably aren't as
coincidental as we may think. Perhaps it is the time to look up
and truly celebrate what Christmas is really about. Jesus loves
the little children of the world and he calls us to love one and
other as well. I am thankful for a little child (albeit not
necessarily a human one) breaking my drift and getting me to
look back up to the stars once again. We will have a real tree
this year and more importantly I will pledge to make people and
gratitude my priority for the season and hopefully the year to
come. Life transitions can begin in many ways and sometimes we
are awakened to our habits and transparencies in life by the
smallest of incidents. In this case it is kind of like coughing
up a little human hairball.
By the way, those of you who receive a Christmas card from us
may find some teeth marks in it. Yoshi had Dr. Fox tell that he
wants to sign the cards this year as well.
Have a Wonderful and Blessed Holiday Season
Robert http://www.IntersectionsCoaching.com