But, my heart will always live in the year of the cat. It’s been the cat that simply shows up, wandering unsolicited into my life – and straight into my heart. Perhaps I attract cats because I am very tender and sentimental. And like a cat, I purr easily. I like that cats are a bit eccentric, slightly rebellious, with a touch of an iconoclast. They are sometimes unpredictable, and certainly like to be on there own, except when they don’t. A cat will come and go as it pleases. I like that trait. I love the idea of freedom. Freedom makes sense to me. Maybe, because, like a cat, I know life is risky, freedom is risky. And the truth is, that no matter how secure I might think I can make my life, it’s not secure. Life isn’t secure and no one can ever make it secure. I certainly can’t control much of anything, especially life. But, thank God. I am simply not fond of controlling anything or anyone. As tender and receptive as I am, I prefer the random, disorderly wildness of life. Yes, it can hurt, but I will always keep my heart open. Feeling life, not trying cage it, hide from it, tame it or frame it. I like feeling it close up, feeling it like the wind blows, like the breath of creation moving through me, letting it take me. The beauty of freedom is kin to the unknown, and those two are closer to love, closer to my heart, closer to reality. I think that’s sublime, powerful and holy. Really living, transcends the human social binds, the narrow confines of arrogant, fear based, human regulations and restrictions. Life is not beholden to human insecurity. Like love, it cannot be caught or used. So, for me, I figure all I can do is take this living adventure of life and see what happens. Best of all, doing this, I remain sentimental and tender and real. That’s the only way I can honestly feel this living, this heart of being in love. Open, I stay open and vulnerable to the fact that I cannot control Life. I feel a kind of warm desire, a longing, a passion to let life touch me. So, I take my chances, my heart open in joyful expectancy. I’ll see what happens. It feels good, it feels right for me. Inevitably, so far, it’s all been quite sweet, in it’s own random, strange, feral way. Living as love, there is nothing but love. Yes, and I do live it. I live it often in tears of love and deep insight. Yes, but, I love this way of my heart, it keeps me affectionate, sensitive, vital, responsive and soft, like a cat. It is my own heart I behold. So I shall do it my way, and continue to enjoy this ever-beautiful, year of the cat – every year – being in love –
Year of the Cat – Read by Sandy Jones