One year ago today, a scrawny, starving kitten showed up on my back step. She meowed pitifully, asking for food. All I had were two eggs and a little bit of milk. I scrambled up the eggs and she scarfed them down immediately, not even waiting for them to cool.
And just like that, I had a cat.
Fast forward one year. Jaguar has filled out and is a healthy, friendly and playful cat. Today she would probably turn her nose up at scrambled eggs and a side of milk, like cats do when they are living the good life and can choose to be picky.
And what a life she has had in the past year!
Jaguar has gone from being a Guatemalan jungle cat to a world traveler to a city jungle cat. In the past year she has been on three international flights and numerous US domestic flights. She has visited California, Connecticut, New York and Texas. She’s ridden on planes, trains, the subway, cars, trucks and buses. And throughout all of it, she has been friendly and outgoing, charming all of the people she has met along the way – from flight attendants to store cashiers to hotel staff to family and friends – while adapting to whatever situation my life has brought her.
In all honesty, she amazes me. Living and traveling with me is not easy. She has handled each of life’s twists and turns with openness, a sense of adventure and curiosity. She has taken everything that has come her way and still has maintained a positive attitude (no litter box or behavioral problems!).
Sometimes I stop and wonder: What if we all embraced change like Jaguar has? What if we approached each new thing boldly, with curiosity and a friendly demeanor? How different would our lives be?
Jaguar is a powerful teacher and model of how to do life right and go with the flow. Last year at this time, I didn’t realize that one of my life teachers would be a scrawny, starving kitten. She has taught me some valuable life lessons, made me laugh and filled my heart with joy at the same time. What a difference a year makes.
