The Beautiful Marshmallow

When I tally up my assets, money is never at the top of my list. My asset list includes my health, relationships, experiences, and of course the magnificently inspirational animals I’ve had the good fortune to share my life with.

Back in March, my husband rescued a bunny from the UCLA campus. She was a precious little white fluffy cotton ball. We can only guess that some idiot abandoned her on campus because she was found frightened, alone, and under a bush surrounded by a big pile of rabbit pellets. When he brought her home, we immediately fell in love. Any plans to adopt her out quickly went by the wayside.

I’ve had lots of dogs and cats over the years but never a bunny. What an adventure she was! We named her Marshmallow. She hopped around and would playfully terrorize the cats. Speed the turtle welcomed her as well. They loved her and she loved them. Everyone got along perfectly.

There was so much to learn about her. What kinds of foods a bunny eats, how delicate they are, and how they like to play were just a few of the wonderful things we learned about the wonderful world of rabbits.

Six weeks into our rabbit adventure, our beloved bunny suddenly passed away. One evening her appetite diminished and we immediately took her to the vet. The vet who we normally saw was unavailable so we ended up seeing a vet who wasn’t really a bunny expert even though he claimed to be. Unfortunately she was horribly diagnosed. A necropsy later showed she died of complications of pneumonia. We were with her as she took her final breaths and her little tiny soul ascended into heaven to take her place with the angels.

Every time an animal companion passes away, a huge hole is left in my heart. Sometimes the pain is so intense that I don’t’ know if I will ever feel whole again. But time is the best medicine. Time has a way of healing us even if we never completely heal; time makes it a little easier to deal with your loss.

The past few weeks have felt empty to me. Our little Marshmallow is now our spirit bunny. I miss seeing her beautiful white fur and luminous pink eyes. I miss petting her soft fur and the way she tickled my toes. I know she is still with us in spirit but I miss her physical presence.

It’s been hard to do much the last couple of weeks including blogging on this site. Sometimes you just have to take a break and heal and not put pressure on yourself to do all those things you think you should be doing. Sometimes you just need to mourn and reflect.

When her ashes were returned to us, the Rainbow Bridge poem was included. I love this poem. I’m sure you have read it before but I think it’s worth sharing again. It’s good to be reminded that we will one day be reunited with all those animals who have made our lives so fabulously wealthy.

The Rainbow Bridge

There is a bridge connecting heaven and earth; it is called the rainbow bridge, because of its many colors. Just this side of the rainbow bridge, there is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass.

When a beloved pet dies, the pet goes to this place. There is always food and water, and warm spring weather. The old and frail animals are young again. Those who are maimed are made whole again. They play all day with each other. There is only one thing missing. They are not with their special person who loved them on earth.

So each day they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks up. The nose twitches, the ears are up, the eyes are staring. Then this one suddenly runs from the group.

You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet, you take him or her in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again and again and again, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated………….

Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to. ~Alfred A. Montapert

The animal companions I share my life with are some of the greatest forms of wealth in my life. I’ve read some simple living  commentary that say animals complicate your life. Well so be it then! It’s a form of complication, I wholeheartedly welcome.

Yes, there are mornings I am woken up at 3am because my cats have decided they want to have a wrestling match on the bed or Hunter has decided he wants to knock over the alarm clock just for kicks. Every time my husband and I travel, I have to make arrangements for their care. I’ve never had a single pet help out with any housework or bring in one cent to the family kitty (no pun intended). But you know what? I wouldn’t trade the rewards I receive for anything in the world! You animal lovers out there know exactly what I mean, right?

I mention my animal friends from time to time on this blog and occasionally post pictures of them. Today I share all of them with you in the pictures below. They are my little luxuries, my simple pleasures, and I’m honored they share their lives with me!

My three cat companions hard at work

Hunter-My big plush Maine Coon Kitty

Shiloh-My Precious Classic Tabby

Rorschach The Tiny Titan of Terror Resting up for whatever is on his agenda next

Speed the Goddess Terrapin

The three outdoor ladies: Georgie, Misty, and Popcorn

The hummingbird on my front porch tending to her nest

Baby Porcupine

Every Friday is “Friday Fun Day” and I post a website, quote, recipe, or story that relates to simple and minimalist living. Sometimes I just post something fun and inspiring!

A friend recently sent me this fable of the porcupine. I thought it was very touching and that we human beings could learn a thing or two from the porcupines! Enjoy!

Fable of the porcupine

It was the coldest winter ever.

Many animals died because of the cold.

The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided

to group together. This way they covered and protected

themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest

companions even though they gave off heat to each other.

After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one

from the other. And they began to die, alone and frozen.

So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of

their companions, or disappear from the Earth.

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. This way they

learned to live with the little wounds that were caused by the

close relationship with their companion, but the most

important part of it was the heat that came from the others.

This way they were able to survive.

The best relationship is not the one that brings

together perfect people, but the best is when each individual

learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire

the other person’s good qualities.

My outdoor cat colony-Monkey is the gray one on the left

Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms. ~ George Eliot

Those who know me well know that I love animals with all my heart and soul. My animal companions have made my life so much wealthier. It has been a privilege to care for the animals I have been lucky enough to know. They have also been some of my best friends. I cannot imagine my life without the company of animals.

My husband and I currently have three in-door cats and a turtle. We also feed a small colony of four feral cats that live in our front yard. The colony started out as six cats. My friend/neighbor Dawn and I humanely trapped them and had them spayed and neutered. We then released them in our neighborhood where they could live their lives in peace and celibacy! Because none of the cats had ever had human touch contact they were not good candidates for companion pets. It is our belief that all animals deserve the chance for a decent life so we feed them religiously and take the responsibility of caring for them very seriously.

Someone once said that dogs have owners but cats have staff. They were spot on! Dawn and I have served as staff for these wonderful kitties for the past ten years. When my friend Maddy moved into the neighborhood several years ago, she became one of their staff as well. Did I mention that the three of us also serve on the staffs of our indoor felines as well? The indoor cats are really demanding and they don’t even pay us!

One cat in the colony disappeared early on and we never knew what happened to him. His name was Creamy. Another became sick and we were able to once again humanely trap him and take him to the vet. He had a fatal kidney disease so we had to put him down. His name was Simba and we were very sad when we lost him. The colony has held steady at four cats for quite some time-Monkey (the male of the bunch) and three females-Popcorn, Misty, and Georgie.

All four show up every evening for their wet food buffet and of course dry food is always available on my front porch. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that it had been two days since I had last seen Monkey. He always showed up like clockwork for the wet food. All four little four-legged darlings always patiently wait for me to bring out trays of mouth-watering dishes like Friskies Classic Pate Mixed Grill or Turkey and Giblets. After a couple of day of not seeing Monkey, I got super concerned. I was afraid he was ill or had been hurt.

When the kitties aren’t hanging out in my front yard they are usually hanging out in the backyard behind me. A very eccentric woman who decorates her trees and plants with pastel colored ribbons has always been very kind to them as well. She feeds her own outdoor cats and leaves out extra for our little group. Her backyard is overgrown with bushes and plants and in general it’s just a mess. For the cats however, it’s a paradise!

A week went by and still no Monkey. I took several walks in my neighborhood looking for him and even visited the eccentric lady’s yard to see if I could find him. Still no sign. I prayed he would return safely. I even sent telepathic communications to him asking him to please make his presence known to me. Maddy and Dawn were keeping an eye out for him as well. Again, nothing.

This past Monday at dusk I took another walk. I went by the eccentric lady’s (sorry, I don’t know her name) house again to see if I could spot him in her yard. No sign. I continued on my walk. I was getting ready to head back home when something told me to go back by her house again. As I was walking in the house’s direction I noticed a couple tending their garden in the house next to hers. Something told me to talk to them. I told them I was looking for a grey kitty with a mustache and fluffy tail who I had been feeding for several years.

The man and woman looked at each other and their face’s suddenly turned sad. He then told me he had found a grey kitty fitting my description ran over in the street a little over a week ago. Someone had put a trashcan next to him in the street blocking off the area so no one would further run over his body until he could be picked up. I was touched that someone respected Monkey enough to do that. The man told me that shortly afterward he had been removed. They said they were so sorry and I knew they felt horrible for having to give me such heartbreaking news. I thanked them for letting me know. Although it was a relief to have this closure, a small part of me died and I cried all the way home.

Life seems so empty this week without Monkey. I can only hope that he went quickly. I hope he knows that he was loved by so many people in our neighborhood. I hope he knows how much joy he brought to my life and how much I loved him and still do. I have lost many animals over the years and you would think it would get easier. It never does.

I still have fantasies that maybe Monkey is still around. After all I’m not 100% sure it was him. Unfortunately, my gut tells me it was because he’s nowhere to be found. I miss him showing up on my porch everyday. I miss his fluffy tail going back and forth and him coming up to the window to visit my in-door cats. He loved being the only boy and hanging out with the girl kitties in the front yard. He was quite the little lady’s man.

I dreamed of him the other night. It was as vivid of a dream as I’ve ever had. He suddenly jumped onto my porch and meowed at me. “Monkey,” I called out “you’re alive!”  Then I suddenly woke up. At first I was disappointed because I realized Monkey was not alive. Then it dawned on me that he was. He most certainly was. He visited me in my dream to let me know that although he had changed form, he was alive and well and would always live forever in my heart. Rest in peace and be free my dear Monkey kitty. I’ll see you again one day on the other side!

Rorschach the tiny titan of terror

“Until one has loved an animal, part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” - Anatole France

My household has a new member. His name is Rorschach and he is of the feline persuasion.  Who says wealth is only about money and  sundry other intangible assets? Sometimes wealth comes in tiny little packages with four legs and a really loud meow!

Rorschach showed up in our neighborhood several weeks ago. My husband David  gave him his name which was inspired by the Rorschach inkblot tests and the character in the movie  “Watchmen”.  His picture above should explain it all!  Even though we can’t really afford a new pet we couldn’t afford not to take him. He needed a home and he has already brought so much joy to our lives. Shylo and Hunter have been very accommodating (well Shylo has, Hunter was a bit peeved at first) and all three kitties are getting along quite well. There is the occasional cat fight but hey that’s what cat’s do, right?  Rorschach is the first kitty I have ever had who likes to chase Speed the turtle, but Speed pays him no attention and just goes about her business.

I love animals and each time a new one enters my life, I’m reminded of how blessed I am to share my life with other non-human animals.  The love and companionship of animals is one of those experiences that make this life worth living. Most of them are far more intelligent and interesting than humans and they are certainly more evolved. They don’t organize in groups and gang up on their own kind and fight for land. They don’t try to impress each other with their material assets or social status. They live in the now and and don’t worry about the future.

So welcome Rorschach! You came to the right household. You may have had a hard time on the streets but those days are now over. If you think the Egyptians worshiped the cat you aint’ seen nothing yet.  In my house, the animals run the show.  You can look forward to a wonderful life with David and me.  Thanks for finding your way to us and thanks in advance for all the riches you have and will continue to bring to our lives.

Helping out at Adoption Day-Kitty Lucia and Me

We work to become, not to acquire. –Elbert Hubbard

I’ve been pondering the concept of “work” quite a bit lately. What exactly is work and what does it mean? When most of us think of work, we think of exchanging our labor for money. Since the basic focus of society is monetary acquisition in order to finance our survival, it’s no wonder we disproportionately think of work this way. On one of my favorite I Love Lucy episodes, one of Lucy’s snooty lady’s club colleagues asks Ricky why he works as a bandleader and he replies, “My family has developed a bad habit, we like to eat!” I love this line!!! I too have developed that habit and I’m sure you have as well.

Yes, it’s a given we all have to do some work for money, but what about work that pays us in non-monetary ways but is equally as valid?  There are many kinds of work that add meaning and purpose to our lives and benefit our families and communities. These types of work should be celebrated and seen as valuable in the same way as work that adds to an individual or company’s bottom line. Below are some examples of work that may not pay us anything but the outcomes are priceless.

Volunteer Work- Most of us has volunteered at some point in our lives. Volunteering has a high level of satisfaction because you know you are working for a cause higher than yourself and more importantly you choose to be there. I volunteer for a local animal organization and I always feel energized and positive when I help out.  It’s a great feeling to know I’m making a difference. Volunteering is also a good way to meet others with like-minded interests. You can socialize and help out at the same time. What could be more fulfilling than that?  Volunteering is a win/win all the way around!

Working in the Home: I have a name for those who work in the home –a home arts practitioner. What in the world is a home arts practitioner you might ask?  It’s someone who runs a home. My friend Susan coined this phrase and I find it most apropos! Managing a home is an art not to mentions lots of hard work. Those who practice this thankless line of work receive very little kudos from society but the work is no less important.  Now that I’m unemployed, I work a great deal in the home. I’m in charge of making sure the grocery shopping is done, errands are run, the house is clean, bills are paid, and any other home projects that may come up. I’m also in charge of making sure we spend as little money as possible and what we do spend is a good bang for our buck!  Our lives are less chaotic now that we have one person running the household and one person working outside the home. We may have less money but in many ways our quality of life is better.

Hobbies: This category can include interests that run the gamut from needlepoint to running marathons. Our special interests help us develop new skill sets as well as learn patience and perseverance.  Hobbies also give us a break from the mundane and help us have fun. My hobby/art/exercise all rolled into one is yoga. I’ve been practicing for over 15 years and it never fails to keep me engaged. There is always something physical or spiritual to explore in my yoga practice. Yoga requires a great deal of work but it’s well worth it. It helps center me in the present and makes me more accepting of the difficulties life brings my way.

Activism: Activism can bring about social, economic, and political change. An activist’s work can include myriad forms of work such as marching in the streets, letter writing, boycotts, or political campaigning just to name a few. As a woman I consider activism important work. Had it not been for those brave women who came before me, I might still be considered someone’s property! I’m active in many causes-one in particular is being involved in the Simple Living Movement. By living as simply and purposefully as possible, I safely and legally make my point about excessive consumerism which can lead to environmental harm. Unchecked consumerism is not sustainable and I’m doing my part by curving mine as much as possible.

Educating ourselves: Educating ourselves is a smart investment. There is always something new to learn or research. Learning new things makes us smarter and more aware of the world outside our own. Right now, I’m spending time educating myself on our country’s banking system. Talk about an eye-opener! I also educate myself on ways to make smart spending choices so our money goes as far as possible and we support businesses in sync with our values.

Helping out a neighbor or animal: Every day across the globe someone checks in on an elderly neighbor or drives a disabled person to the doctor.  A stray animal shows up on someone’s door and some dear soul takes them in or helps them find a home. Numerous people the world over do the important work each and every day of helping another being out. They get paid nothing for it but their work makes a huge difference. I feed several feral cats in our neighborhood and I help out my neighbors when they need something and they do the same for me.

There are many types of work that don’t bring in money but add to the quality of our lives. I’m not one of those people content to sit around doing nothing. I like being busy and I like working, especially when what I’m doing gives me a sense of accomplishment and achievement. What kind of work do you like?

Tiny hummingbird in nest outside my neighbor's house

I’m a firm believer that abundance is for everyone. It’s our birthright from the time we take our first breath until the time we take our last. And I for one am also expecting a great deal of abundance in the afterlife as well.

The same way I feel everyone has talent and creativity, everyone has something in their life that is abundant. There are different forms of creativity and there are different forms of abundance. I don’t care how much money someone has or doesn’t have – no one has a monopoly on abundance. Just because Bill and Belinda Gates have more money than they know what to do with doesn’t mean they are any more abundant than you or me. And I bet they would be the first to tell you this is true.

www.dictionary.com defines abundance as:

1. an extremely plentiful or over sufficient quantity or supply
2. overflowing fullness
3. affluence; wealth

Any innuendo possibly referring to money is not even mentioned until the third definition.  Although abundance can mean money, it also means so much more. What do you have an abundance of in your life? Love, friends, family, laughter, fun?

I have an abundance of joy lately. You would think that going on month 6 of unemployment would be getting me down a bit. Miraculously, it’s been the exact opposite. Not that I don’t from time to time worry about the future and money, but I’m finding abundance in so many other areas.  I have more love in my life than is probably legal, thanks to my husband, friends, family, and pets. I have an abundance of time to read, write, and exercise. I get plenty of sleep every night and I haven’t caught any of the nasty flus or colds that having been going around the past several months. (Knock on wood!)

I have every faith that I will be taken care of and abundance will continue to be mine.  When I do enter the fear mode, I remind myself of the advice Jesus gave to his disciples. I hope you find his words as empowering as I do.

²⁵“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^?

²⁸“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34 (New International Version)

Me-Just Happy to be Alive!

Society has conditioned us to believe our wealth is measured by money and material possessions. However, our real wealth and true net worth expand much further than the numbers in our bank accounts.  If we limit ourselves to a narrow definition of wealth, we will never be able to fully enjoy life and experience our true riches.

Our current monetary system produces a lack mindset and leads us to believe we must constantly be chasing the dollar if we want to be happy and content. Messages of accumulating more, more, more are constantly thrown at us, and as we strive for bigger and better, it’s often never enough. Our longings for more seem to go to infinity.  We think that if only we had a bigger house, a job making 20% more, a fancier car, then we would really be set. But then we find out nothing could be further from the truth.  Often when we do end up with more, we find that the void we thought would be full is still empty.

Our economy is in intensive care, and there is no clear indication of when things will be better.  This is the perfect time to reexamine our thoughts and ideas about wealth. How empowering is it to define your net worth by an outdated and dysfunctional money game that is rigged for an elite few and is constantly upping the ante for the rest of us? Although the current system is our reality for the time being, we need not give it any more power than is absolutely necessary. As we shift our thinking, we realize our true wealth is the things that money just can’t compete with or provide.

The list below outlines some alternative ways to tally up your real net worth, so review it and see how you measure up. I bet you are worth gazillions!

• Your Health-It may sound like a cliché, but your health is your greatest wealth.  If you feel lousy, it doesn’t matter how much money you have stashed away or how many summer homes you own. More importantly, if you have bad health, it’s harder to enjoy your other riches such as your friends, family, and passions. Don’t take your good health lightly. It’s one of your greatest assets. If you think not, then talk to someone who is suffering from a serious illness. Most people who are seriously ill see a bigger picture than those of us who are healthy. Learn from them and start to expand your perceptions of what’s important in life. Wake up every day and thank the deity of your choice for yet another day of good health.

• Your Mate/Partner-What a wonderful thing it is to spend your life with someone you love. Our deepest desires as humans are not really money or the material, but love. Remember when you first fell in love and how great you felt.  Having someone to go through the good times and the bad times makes the journey of life so much easier. It’s a real blessing to have someone special in your life, so cherish them and don’t take them for granted.

• Your Children-Children are priceless! Need I see more?

• Your friends- Families are wonderful but our friends are extra special because we choose each other. We have no control over who our families are, but all the control in the world when it comes to picking our friends. Friends are there to help you through bad times and to share the good times. And when we reciprocate by being there for them, the rewards are two-fold, because we gain the joy of having been there for someone as well. Good friendships allow us to be with people who accept us for who we are and are not forever trying to alter us.

• Your animal companions-Animals friends bring so much joy and fun to our lives. Besides the regular activities we participate in with our animal friends, just watching them as they go about their day to day lives can keep us entertained for hours. Animals teach us to live in the moment and not to fret about the past or worry about the future. Our animal companions are the epitome of unconditional love.

• Free Time- The gift of time to spend in any way you choose is an asset rivaling the most successful monetary investments. What a luxury it is to have time to spend with family and friends, time in nature, time reading and relaxing, time for fun, time for getting adequate sleep, and time to just do nothing if that’s what floats your boat.  The extravagance of time is definitely a valuable commodity and an often under-rated resource.

• Access to Modern Conveniences- The times we live in provide us with more access to technology and modern conveniences than ever before in the world’s history. You have a refrigerator, right? Access to a washer and dryer? What about a TV, computer, microwave, radio, electricity, heat, air conditioning, etc? Compared to past generations, most of us live like royalty. Modern conveniences save us time and make life a whole lot easier.
• Your Life Experiences-Each of us are unique and our life experiences make us who we are. Whether they are good or bad, we can use our experiences to learn, teach, and contribute to those around us. So if you aren’t already, get out there and purposefully start living. You’ll have setbacks for sure, but you will also have many victories as well.

• Your Spirituality-If you are a person who travels a spiritual or religious path, then you know the rewards — peace of mind, comfort, support, a connection with the divine. Spirituality is what feeds our soul and differentiates between the materialistic world and the world we cannot see. We all know deep down there is something more to being alive than just what is in front of us, but so often we forget and get caught up in things that won’t matter in the long run. Our spirituality helps us through the challenging times and keeps us connected to what’s important in life.

• Your Education- An education is not only a degree or certificate. Education is a skill you’ve learned, or a book you’ve read that inspires conversation and thought.  Whether it is a degree from a fancy university, a trade school certificate, or information acquired from the local library, all are forms of education and are very valuable. Once you learn something, it’s yours for the keeping and can never be taken away from you.

• You Humor- Laughter has a way of soothing the human spirit and making us whole again. If you have the gift of humor and have people around to laugh with you, know that you have an asset that can carry you through most anything this crazy life sends your way.