Where gratitude takes us nearer...

"Thankfulness brings you to the place where the Beloved lives." _ Rumi

The cat boys woke me up early this morning as they do every morning; nowadays it is even dark when we go out.  MrLittleJeans always wants to know how they woke me up on that particular day.  He is most entertained listening to the various methods they employ and I am entertained thinking about it because when I first wake up I am not that entertained.

This morning Ollie went to the closet and start banging his furry little golden fists on the door until I got up. Augustus who was lying at the foot of the bed did not think him insane, he just listened wondering or not.

They woke me up early to go check the outdoors always curious to find what creatures had set their feet on our cement grounds.

Augustus monitored the walls

while Ollie said his morning prayers by a light near the big palm.

I went back in for coffee and doing some laundry and other things and returned when it was lighter.   They sat and we stared.

Incidentally staring is really good for the eyes...stare close, then far, close, then far, try to make out silhouettes in the dark, then light.  At least this is my thinking unsupported by any opthamologist.

As the first rays of the sun reflected off the patch of clouds above I thought to walk back in hoping to have some furry followers.

Indoors they had breakfast and played some theatrical roles, those thespian cats, and I went about my business of getting ready.

On my way out I noted one office worker cat

in active meditation,

and the other office worker cat hiding from work!

Closer examination indicated that our sheets were very furry, just how the cats liked them.

We discussed during our early morning excursions "gratitude", that deep gratitude that stays with us even during hard times, or that deep gratitude that we like to find especially during hard times.  The cat boys told me that getting there required practice.  I have decided to practice that.   Tomorrow I have some neighbors for afternoon get together where we share inspirational writings and prayers and then we eat.  Our theme is gratitude.

"Therefore, mere verbal thanksgiving is without effect. But real thankfulness is a cordial giving of thanks from the heart.  When man in response to the favors of God manifests susceptibilities of conscience, the heart is happy, the spirit is exhilarated.  These spiritual susceptibilities are ideal thanksgiving."  (Abdul Baha, Excerpt of talk 1912)

Cat boys made you kisses and blew them out in the air to wish you a happy weekend.

Ciao everyone!