TGIF

It had been a rough week for Miss Kitty.

She had a bad respiratory infection then when that cleared up a bit, she started having problems with her back end.

She walks a bit, then her legs go out from under her and she has to lay down.

I carry her when she can’t motor about.

She’ll limp up to me and indicate where she wants to go and I take her there…we all need some help when we get older.

 

The other night her and Chester had finished dinner and she plopped down in the middle of the floor, waiting for me to lift her up on to the bed.

Chester walked up to her and began to groom her.

How sweet, I thought to myself.

Then he tried to kill her.

One paw holding down her head, the other her body, back legs wrapped around her and teeth about to sink into her neck.

I barely got him off of her in time.

Chester then found out there was a bigger cat than him…

Why…why in the world would he do such a terrible thing?

Because it’s his nature.

In the wild among his kind the weak and the sick are dispatched by the strong.

There was an infirm animal in his territory and he was going to do what comes naturally to him.

Kill it.

It’s his nature.

Chester has been forgiven his horrible sin, (more fully by me, than by Miss Kitty) even though I was tempted to do him in for it.

I know that it’s my nature too.

Yours as well.

We may not physically kill others, but we’re as fallen as Chester.

We execute with words and withheld affection, with coolness and lack of compassion.

Our victims only die inside.

I was shocked by his behavior as I wiped the hot saliva off Miss Kitty’s throat and comforted her after the attack.

I wonder who comforts those who I wound.

I wonder who is supposed to comfort me.

I have long since stopped being shocked by my own behavior…or yours.

They call this part of our nature the old man…and we’re supposed to put him to death and walk in newness of life.

I serve the old man coffee and we talk about how the new man is a dullard who lacks understanding of the world.

I am Chester…

That’s why I forgave him.

I know there’s a bigger cat than me…and He has forgiven me.

You too.

Chester has behaved well since this incident.

I haven’t changed much.

Make your own application…