“And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.”
~Rilke
New beginnings. We can never fully understand how they will show up or roll out a new journey. For many years, our barn and house were occupied by cats, sometimes many cats. But as our children grew and left home the cats left behind aged out and in the midst of 2018 our last “barn” kitty, Isabella, crossed the rainbow bridge leaving an empty space in my heart and in our barn. It also sent an invitation to the mice to return and although, two cats remained at the house, they made it quite clear they were NOT interested in applying for the position.
I was pretty sure I didn’t want more cats. So, I shooed mice off counters, tried not to shriek as they ran underfoot, and put out sticky traps and all the latest devices to eliminate them, all to no avail. The previous Spring my daughter’s neighbor had kittens, but I wasn’t ready. But as the mice started to overtake the barn, I decided to check back to see if maybe she had another litter. As it turned out, she had one kitten and she still had the two from the previous year that she was looking to rehome. I told her I’d take them and drove down a few days later with my carrier. The neighbor took my carrier into her home while I waited on the step and returned with three very frightened kitties.
CeCe emerging from the barn to explore her new world
I asked if they had names and she told me the black was Bagheera, the grey, Ping and the grey and white kitten wasn’t named. I thanked her, assured her I would give them a good life, loaded them in the back seat of my truck, and headed home. The two older cats hid and made themselves small in the back of the carrier while the kitten bravely stood in the front, big eyed, watching as we drove away from the only home she’d known.
The transition was abrupt, from a warm apartment bedroom to a big, cold barn full of hay, goats, and mice. We put a heat light in a corner with a soft blanket to keep them warm as they transitioned to the cold Winter temperatures. Bagheera was an expert climber. She climbed every wall and explored every height in the barn. Ping was shy and hid behind the hay only peeking out briefly before hiding again. Kitten was forward and curious and soon she was playing with baling twine and following us around the barn, climbing in my lap when she was tired and falling asleep. We named her CeCe although in retrospect, I would call her Mulan in keeping with the Disney theme and, because she is very much a Mulan: Bold, fearless and very loyal. They followed me around the farm as I did chores, moving goats to different pastures, wandering the trails, and sitting with me as we watched the goats graze. They began to follow me on my forest walks, entertaining me with their feeble attempts at tree climbing and playing with one another, hiding in the bushes and jumping out in surprise. The two older cats were sweet to their baby sister, putting up with her rough play, bringing in mice and birds for her to practice her skills.
Waking up under a warm light and cozy blanket
Every day is a new adventure when the only world you used to know had four walls. My daily walk is an exercise in patience as I wait for the cats to catch up. Cats don’t walk for exercise, they walk with pure joy of what might be on the trail, which tree might be the easiest to climb or how to find the best hiding place to jump out from. It’s fun to watch their antics and see their confidence grow as they explore their new world. CeCe is a professional (or so she thinks), running ahead and ducking into a thicket of brush waiting to ambush her unsuspecting sisters. Tree climbing remains their greatest challenge and while Bagheera can climb any wall or door jam in the barn, trees are still an obstacle. So I continue to cheer them on with each attempt and praise their progress. My forest walks have become a sweet time of meditation and contemplation, a time for slowing down, noticing the beauty all around me and allowing the song of the Earth to wrap it’s music around me.
The barn is a full, happy place, and each morning I am greeted by three sweet kitties who are happy to see me and ready for whatever adventure is next. They make me laugh, give me love, and follow me on trails to greater understanding. They teach me that today is the gift, reminding me to stay in the present moment and enjoy the journey. In 2022, may we walk the trail as the cats do, ready for adventure and with a spirit of joy.
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