There It Is - The Cat Litter
This is Buu.
Well, the name on his adoption papers from the shelter is Carson but we affectionately call him Buu. He is a stocky boy and has a tummy that curves around and over or sometimes covers his feet when he sits. He tummy was so cute it reminded me of Bhudda and the name Buu was born.
Lately Buu has been showing signs of struggling with his breathing and I was wondering what could be contributing to it in the house. When we brought him home just over two years ago, the shelter was using pine pellets for their litter. My hubby and I tried that for quite awhile and didn't enjoy it as much so we switched to clay litter; I'm not sold on that either because of the dust it produces. Dust is a common irritant so could that be what was bothering him? To test out my theory, I thought I would change one litter box and see if he would use it; hopefully he does and I can monitor his breathing for any change.
I brought it up to my husband the other day about changing out the litter, the thought occurred to me that I had no idea what brand to get. I was aware that there are now a few different alternatives like walnut husks but I hadn't started my research.
I received this text from my awesome neighbours across the street:
I was flabbergasted. In my shock, I was not 100% sure she was talking about litter, but took the leap and responded with a brief synopsis of what I just told you. She then asked me if she could come over right now and I met her at the door wondering what was going on. In her arms was a opened bag of wheat litter that had enough in it to convert one litter box. She went on to tell me that she was experiencing some reactions to something in her house and couldn't pinpoint it. The answer came to her as she walked by as the litter box was being cleaned and instantly her sinuses reacted. She had an inkling that her gluten allergy might be getting aggravated by it but she wasn't sure until that very moment; out it had to go.
Change needs a change in perspective and focus and what we focus on we create. I have been realizing lately that the problem here in my life is not my lack of focus but the subject of that focus. What do I want to see from this event?
Do I want to see it as something that feels bad or good in my body? Whatever choice I make will create more of that but we rarely think about those things when we are in the experience. But the time arrives shortly after that where we choice how we want to see the event.
In this case there were many ways I could have felt about the encounter:
First off, I could have been taken back by the abruptness and vague content of the text for it brought up feelings within myself where I felt insecure. Do I take my concern with looking stupid and sensitivity to making mistakes and make this interaction about that since she didn't respond to my clarification text? What about my worry if people like me or my personality because she didn't respond to the story about my cat?
Next was the timing and sense of urgency. She simply asked if she could come over right now and offered no explanation. What is happening and why does it have to be right now? My husband was in the back room destressing from the day and changing into his evening clothes so we were not ready for company. When I told him that she said she was coming over right now he gave me a look for he was standing there in his underwear. I wasn't sure how I was going to handle the situation and actually didn't give it much thought hoping that it would work out and it did.
There has been some distance between my neighbours and myself and I haven't understood why because there has been no known discord; just lack of interest and engagement. Did I want to start thinking ill about them based on an assumption that there is something wrong and that they don't like me? I was thinking to invite her inside the front door when she arrived to allow space to for the possibility of a conversation. She could see all the changes we have made to the inside and maybe a friendship could be sparked. Instead she knocked on the door, backed up and stood on the bottom step with bag in hand; the opposite of what I expected or intended. Do I choose to be offended at the gesture and take that as a confirmation as another rejection?
Does she think I am charity case and represent all the negative feelings I have about my financial situation?
Anyone of these feelings could have been on my mind at the time of the exchange and that would have masked the blessing that I received. Right now what I want is to recognize all the blessings that do occur on a daily basis and be present to savor the moment it happens.
Here was the direct answer to my heartfelt desire that came right to my front door, at absolutely no charge, in the right proportion and with little action on my part. What was I feeling at the time? Gratitude and Wonder. I marveled at how my thinking about an answer and waiting for it to manifest happened before my eyes. My heart welled with thankfulness for the gift as well as the ability to recognize it as such. I could have easily missed this answer because I decided to focus on something that didn't feel good or create more of what I don't want. I could have approached the door feeling slighted and sent that body language to my neighbour and contributed to the problem instead of the solution. Imagine the level of the missing the point to the level that I didn't see the litter as a gift it was but an insult instead. Why? The answer is simple: my focus was on the problem and how that felt.
How many answers do I miss on a daily basis because I am looking at the situation through the lens of the problem and it's feelings instead of the solution and those feelings?
Food for thought:
A. Isn't it interesting that whole response was orchestrated by the same physical reaction of irritated sinuses yet the negative response for one could be the solution for other party?
B. Fascinating how my answer did not require any money. Why is that my go-to solution?