If You Die Tomorrow, Would You Be Contented?
Came across this article in the Singapore Cats MSN Forum this morning.
It got me thinking at 8am on a Saturday morning. Girl, you've got a get a life!
Point taken. It took me 10 minutes evaluate and my answer is if I am to die tomorrow, I will not just die contented but I will die happy. Honest. Swear, cross my heart & hope to die (happy) if I lie.
4 years back, I wouldn't be. I would be angry. Well, I was angry. Angry with life, with friends & family for not understanding me, with my meaningless job, with men, with my boss, with unfortunate circumstances (you get the picture). I WAS AN ANGRY BITCH.
Then a year ago, or to be exact, 28 January 2005, Beauty entered my life. Suddenly my life took a different turn. I am now responsible for the well-being of another living creature and I had absolutely no clue how to. Thank goodness for people like Phyllis & VeganCat who stood by, dealt with my ‘first-time mommy paranoia” phone calls & emails with Buddha patience.
Of course, over the months, I learn, some through text books but mostly through my gut feel or ‘mother’s intuition’. No doubt I still give in to an occasional bout of paranoia, but its very much under control. ARC is not getting money off my hands so easily these days.
And all of you know, over months, I have not just learnt, the family expanded. From 2 of us in the flat to now 6, it’s a population explosion.
But the cats did not just give me something to do. They have exposed me to a world out there that I had consciously shut off because it was ugly & I didn’t want to deal with it. That is, the cruelty of mankind. How mankind abuse, exploit the defenceless mother earth & her children. As men, we have the power to burn down the rainforests & pollute the ocean for commerce & kill animals for food & game.
Of course, I can’t single-handedly save the earth but I can make a tiny difference. I began showing interests in cat welfare. Speaking up for the poor defenceless felines who were almost always blamed for the unpleasantness in HDB living. Sponsoring cats in shelters. Its not much, but its my tiny bit.
But more than that, the Chaos bunch taught me that life is meant to live by & fight for one’s integrity & beliefs & not bend to rules & expectations of others. Ever seen a cat compromise her will to please someone? I've not. None of the Chaos ever compromise, sure they adapt to circumstances but never compromise. Beauty is still Beauty, the perpectual grouch, that will never change even if her tuna bowl depends on it. Fudge fought to her last breath to live, never once gave in to her illness.
So family & friends may not understand me to the T, so what? As long as they love & accept me for who I am & not what I am, that's what that matters right? So what if I’m single? Men come & go, if one chooses to stay, it’s a bonus, otherwise, life still goes on, why cry?. A job is just a job, it pays the bills. That’s it. If recognition is not given, then speak up. So the boss doesn’t appreciate me, so what am I going to do about it? Change the job. Simple.
So life became much simpler since. I have learnt to detach emotion from a problem. And when that happens, I became much more clear headed & patient. And besides, I know, no matter how bad my day is or bad the news are in the papers, I know that the day will come to end. And tomorrow is another fresh start.
As chaotic & crazy as Chaos are, life is simply life to them. So live & love to the fullest each day. That is their mantra. And that is my mantra now. And with that thought, yeah, I will die happy because I am contented.
It got me thinking at 8am on a Saturday morning. Girl, you've got a get a life!
Point taken. It took me 10 minutes evaluate and my answer is if I am to die tomorrow, I will not just die contented but I will die happy. Honest. Swear, cross my heart & hope to die (happy) if I lie.
4 years back, I wouldn't be. I would be angry. Well, I was angry. Angry with life, with friends & family for not understanding me, with my meaningless job, with men, with my boss, with unfortunate circumstances (you get the picture). I WAS AN ANGRY BITCH.
Then a year ago, or to be exact, 28 January 2005, Beauty entered my life. Suddenly my life took a different turn. I am now responsible for the well-being of another living creature and I had absolutely no clue how to. Thank goodness for people like Phyllis & VeganCat who stood by, dealt with my ‘first-time mommy paranoia” phone calls & emails with Buddha patience.
Of course, over the months, I learn, some through text books but mostly through my gut feel or ‘mother’s intuition’. No doubt I still give in to an occasional bout of paranoia, but its very much under control. ARC is not getting money off my hands so easily these days.
And all of you know, over months, I have not just learnt, the family expanded. From 2 of us in the flat to now 6, it’s a population explosion.
But the cats did not just give me something to do. They have exposed me to a world out there that I had consciously shut off because it was ugly & I didn’t want to deal with it. That is, the cruelty of mankind. How mankind abuse, exploit the defenceless mother earth & her children. As men, we have the power to burn down the rainforests & pollute the ocean for commerce & kill animals for food & game.
Of course, I can’t single-handedly save the earth but I can make a tiny difference. I began showing interests in cat welfare. Speaking up for the poor defenceless felines who were almost always blamed for the unpleasantness in HDB living. Sponsoring cats in shelters. Its not much, but its my tiny bit.
But more than that, the Chaos bunch taught me that life is meant to live by & fight for one’s integrity & beliefs & not bend to rules & expectations of others. Ever seen a cat compromise her will to please someone? I've not. None of the Chaos ever compromise, sure they adapt to circumstances but never compromise. Beauty is still Beauty, the perpectual grouch, that will never change even if her tuna bowl depends on it. Fudge fought to her last breath to live, never once gave in to her illness.
So family & friends may not understand me to the T, so what? As long as they love & accept me for who I am & not what I am, that's what that matters right? So what if I’m single? Men come & go, if one chooses to stay, it’s a bonus, otherwise, life still goes on, why cry?. A job is just a job, it pays the bills. That’s it. If recognition is not given, then speak up. So the boss doesn’t appreciate me, so what am I going to do about it? Change the job. Simple.
So life became much simpler since. I have learnt to detach emotion from a problem. And when that happens, I became much more clear headed & patient. And besides, I know, no matter how bad my day is or bad the news are in the papers, I know that the day will come to end. And tomorrow is another fresh start.
As chaotic & crazy as Chaos are, life is simply life to them. So live & love to the fullest each day. That is their mantra. And that is my mantra now. And with that thought, yeah, I will die happy because I am contented.
posted by Cat at 8:56 AM
6 Comments:
**applause***
It is said that the "sufferings" of a human being are not the physical pain of diseases but the mental pain from a sense of loneliness, a sense of uselessness and a sense of hopelessness.
We also have to accept a reality of life that is "complete" only with joy and suffering. We have to learn to let go of unrealistic expection that we can save every cat.
We have to learn to be filled with the joy of helping just those cats and any other beings that come into our paths. But we can also speak out for cats that are not in our paths....yet.
We have to learn to finish the day..with a sense of contentment that whatever we had done for the day is "complete".
heh, i was told many a time to compromise just to make the situations more tolerable. but to my mum, i've been called stubborn, wilful and wotnot. yep you guess it, i still don't give a flying f*ck - labels don't hurt me. as long as i respect her and do my part as a daughter, i don't see why i should "change" [like not returning home late just because she's not happy whatsoever] just to appease her. maybe that explains why she dislikes cats.
cats adapt to their environment, and they'll never ask for more than shelter and food. and in return they reciprocate with unconditional love. and that's what sorely missing with humans. they attach love/affection with conditions, like "er, i'm sure he'll change after marriage because he knows i love him!"
but of course there exists idiots who just keep taking and taking without giving. regardless, both groups have proven that certain humans must not be allowed to breed.
wow, i really admire you cat. you have achieved zen.. as for me, i am still very much bothered that i have to work with idiots aka sales and marketing.
hee... well, until such time, you will have to bear with me on my blog..
when my life comes to its end and I stand before my Creator I will hold my head high. not with pride over my accomplishments(?) in this life, but because I served Him with all my heart and soul. serving others, to lift them up, my sisters and brothers, both animal and humal alike. I think what you do is great. continue doing so. may God richly bless your life. may you live in blissful peace.
sincerely
guardian
(-: thank you (-:
I enjoy reading your blog!
I can totally relate to a cat helping to put life in perspective. My first cat, Pumpkin, was an angel who saved my life and gave me someone to care about. Now, I will never be without a kitty cat.
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