From Cornplanter, my friend for 22 years:
In 1902 Rudyard Kipling published his monumental
collection of children's stories (similar to fairy
tales) to be read to young children. One of the
stories was titled: "The Cat Who Walked By Himself."
Kipling had spent many years in India, Africa, and
Australia as a journalist allied with the British
forces or rulers. However, he was a keen observer of
all the people and their beliefs, actions, and ways of
life. Certainly, he picked up some of the spiritual
understanding of the peoples in the places he lived and
worked.
And so, when he came to writing a volume of stories to
read to children, which must be read exactly the same
each time, with narry a word change or even a change of
voice (they must be read "Just So" according to his
infant daughter) we can expect some spiritual
understanding in this work. (Some even say "of
Biblical proportions.")
"The Cat Who Walked By Himself" was one of the
primordial animals who refused to totally submit
himself in any bargaining with humans. The other
domestic animals became full-time servants of the
primordial humans. The cat bargained, but always
maintained that he still "Walked by Himself" rather
than as a slave.
The famous line is: "I am the Cat who walks by
himself, and all places are alike to me."
This, of course, can have many meanings, but it
refers specifically to the kind of partnership cats can
have with humans: They ask for (or demand) their due
(food, etc) and they can love and play with us, but
they refuse to be slavishly devoted. They don't live
as we insist; they live their own lives; they walk
their own paths.
Consider a person saying: "I am the human who walks by
himself and all places are alike to me."
It means: NO COMMITMENT! (...to another human, job,
country, etc.)
But if you give it a little "Eastern Religion" and say:
"I am the person who walks with God, and all places are
alike to me," ...the meaning becomes seriously other-
dimensional. Most people, however, have rather
cumbersome definitions of what they believe (or what
they believe others believe) God is, so another
spiritual modification is in order.
A slightly different variation: "I am the person who
walks in Love, and all places are alike to me,"
replacing "myself" in the original and "God" in the
first variation, with an affirmation of what a "self"
can be, and what Christians believe God is.
But how can anyone say a Los Angeles Freeway drive is
"alike" to a refreshing picnic at a gorgeous mountain
retreat by a lake in perfect weather? SIMPLE: It
is not the events experienced which are the same, but
the energy one radiates which could be the same: Love,
Always.
Do your circumstances determine the energy you give
off? Do other people control whether you radiate Love
or not? Truly, the cat (both in Kipling's story, and
in real life) can be a loving being. And also, because
cats refuse to be slaves, they can have hard lives.
The question is not how well you react to people who
love you. The question is what energy you radiate the
rest of the time.
So please repeat after me:
"I am the [state your name] Who Walks in Love, and my
energy makes me a Being of Love in All Places I Visit.
(Even as I diligently work to protect myself and others
from unenlightened cretins who intend to harm, own, or
abuse me.)"
[Look, we live in a world where opposites attract,
meet, and sometimes even commit themselves to doomed
marriages. A loving being needs also be diligent.....
Even Jesus was not so loving that no one could murder
him.]
Thankyou, Cornplanter.
[Which Cornplanter?]
OK... [I am]...The Cornplanter who walks with God and
all places are alike to me.
or: [I am] The Cornplanter who walks in Love, which
makes all places alike for me.
❤️
|
|
"The famous line is: "I am the Cat who walks by
himself, and all places are alike to me."
This, of course, can have many meanings, but it
refers specifically to the kind of partnership cats can
have with humans: They ask for (or demand) their due
(food, etc) and they can love and play with us, but
they refuse to be slavishly devoted. They don't live
as we insist; they live their own lives; they walk
their own paths."
I might have to disagree with this one; my cat, Sunny
is my companion. He is very loyal and compassionate and
does give up allot of his "me time" to wait patiently
for me or just be patient. He is a very rare Kitty.
|
|