Someone who has really appreciated the opportunities afforded to her by Covid is our feline companion, Belle. She has been so happy to have her human companions here to do her bidding. As one of my good friends often reminds me about our pets, “Dogs have masters but cats have staff.”
Belle
has been so pleased at the service that has been provided for her by her staff
during the last eight months. She has
companionship whenever she decides to leave the confines of our comfortable bed
and wander into either the office where I work or the desk that has been
installed at the end of the dining room where Glen works. She does not hesitate
to jump up on the desk and pass her comments about what we are doing and then
jump down on our laps for a brief snooze before checking what else is going on
in the place.
She has been working at training us to provide her with drinking water in the way that she prefers it. She turns up her nose at water that has been sitting in a bowl for more than five minutes. She even refuses the neat little system that we placed on the bathroom counter for her that holds water that flows into the bowl at the bottom, and replaces any that she has consumed. The problem is that the water level does not go down to be replaced because she refuses to drink from it. Oh no! That may be fine for ordinary cats but Madame Belle prefers to have it straight from the faucet. If that is good enough for her human staff, it will be suitable for her. However, she has not yet discovered how to turn on the tap, so she has had to train these dull witted humans to turn it on for her.
It
works this way. As soon as she sees someone heading toward one of the
bathrooms, she runs ahead and jumps up on the counter. Then she will begin to make
all kinds of noises. I think she figures she is talking to us. What she is
saying is: “Please turn on the tap so I can have a drink. I will let you know when I am finished and
you can turn it off again.” So of course, I obediently turn it on for her.
As I
think about this, I realize we are talking about an animal and how she gets me
to provide water for her. Then I think of all of the millions of people all
around the world and even in our own country, who do not have access to clean drinking
water and I feel so sad. I am grateful for what I have and I want to figure out
how I can help others to have something so basic as safe drinking water.
I think
I have figured out a few things that even a retired person like me can do to
help. I can write about it like I am doing today. As I have opportunity, I can
contribute to the work of those who are using their effort to make it possible
for others to have water. Finally, I can pray that those around me will also
contribute in whatever ways they can so that many others may have that cup of
cold water that Jesus us told us we were offering to Him when we give it to
someone who needs it.
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| Word Guild Award 2018 |
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| Word Guild Award 2009 |
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| Word Guild Award 2011 |
1 comment:
What a Coo-oo-l Cat! Thanks Eleanor, for raising a smile in the midst of the seriousness and gloom that are so prevalent during these pandemic days. It's interesting how your companion pet makes her preferences (erm, maybe 'demands') known.
Your application point is well made about providing safe drinking for others. ~~+~~
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