Some people shout that we shouldn't "humanize" pets, that dogs and cats aren't children, that they don't think or feel (like us, of course), that they are treacherous (especially cats).
I have never thought like that.
But since Totoro (my cat) arrived, I would dare to say that I actually prefer him over a crowd, that he seems more noble than many human beings, and that he has taught me some of the most important lessons of my life.
With Totoro I learned that, if we want, it is possible to understand others even if we speak "different languages."
My cat taught me that routine isn't so bad, that I should rest without so many regrets... and stretch before getting out of bed or after getting up from my desk.
It forces me to not look at my phone as soon as I open my eyes and to disconnect from the computer when I've been glued to it for too many hours... or else it will bite me nonstop.
It's my constant reminder of the most valuable thing we have: time, us.
He reminded me of the importance of playing and that, sometimes, to have fun, we just need to go back to the simple things: a little ball of paper, a box, and a good adventure companion. But if we don't have that, it doesn't matter; we can always run around alone or... look for someone.
That: taught me that it is valid to ask for affection when we need or want it.
By her side I learned that those who love you wait patiently, recognize your steps, are happy to see you arrive, greet you with love, share their vulnerabilities with you (their little belly), and tell you about their day.
I learned that when we love, that welcome resets us, makes us happy.
And to be happy we need others, to surround ourselves with loving people, to have someone we can purr to, to show them everything that resides within us.
But Totoro also showed me that I shouldn't trust everyone, that trust is earned, that we must set limits, and that if someone crosses them, it's okay to change your tone, show your teeth, your nails, attack, or better yet... simply walk away.
Observing him, I knew that in the dark or when we can't see well (despite the light) we must be stealthy, observe everything, walk slowly, and not make noise, especially if we have a clear objective.
It also forced me to stop fighting his way of being and focus on the only thing that is in my hands: mine.
So, I started to be more organized so I wouldn't find everything on the floor, chewed up, broken, or... worse yet: not finding it for a long time.
Totoro teaches me to coexist, to know that love always involves giving a little: seeing his toys scattered, lending him a piece of my closet when he's cold or wants to hide from the world, accepting that my clothes will always have hairs. Finally, the marks others leave on us are a reminder that we love and are, or were, loved.
Thanks to him, I am never alone.
He watches over my sleep, he accompanies me to pee in the middle of the night, he lies on top of any part of my body that hurts, he takes care of me when I'm sick, he sees me cry with amazement but then tries to stop me from crying, he listens to me.
I thought there was saved my cat…from the street, from the cold, from malnutrition, from fleas, from parasites, from the people who had mistreated him.
But, in reality, it was he who helped me not lose faith, he reminded me that it is beautiful to have a home, to be in it, to create our own concept of home.
I rescued him following the advice of a psychologist: adopting a cat as a prelude to having a child.
In the meantime, the adoptive father fled, and Totoro suffered his absence as much or more than I did, but then, he showed me that he too has learned from me: he stood up, we stood up.
With her adoption, I reaffirmed my conviction: I am a girl as impatient as she is responsible, as combative as she is loving, as tearful as she is strong, as rigid as she is adaptable, and I shouldn't believe what those experts in stealing other people's brilliance say, because - in the end - only I know my true identity.
I don't know if the son will arrive, but I hope the cat stays until I'm old... and that, if he has seven lives, he chooses me in all of them.
By: Jessica Dos Santos / Instagram: Jessidossantos13
Tell me your story, write it however you like, together we shape it and share it. In life, spreading the different forms of love is always necessary: lasultimasnoticiasdelamor@gmail.com
Read other stories:
