Eleanor and Jack
Jack sat down with a cup of coffee the other day, and Eleanor jumped onto his lap and then put her face close to his face, like she’s done since she was a tiny kitten. Eleanor was a “breakthrough” cat for Jack. When I met him, even though he really liked cats, he said that he had a big problem with their fur getting into his eyes and causing irritation. He was OK with a cat in the house, but had an allergic reaction every time he petted or held one, so he simply resisted the urge to touch them.
Eleanor, an abandoned newborn kitten, was only a few days old when we took her home and she needed a lot of one-on-one attention from us both. Jack had to hold her to feed her, and soon she was nuzzling his beard. He was so in love with her, that he just let her do it, and even though he was afraid he’d have a negative reaction, he wanted her affection more than he feared the result, and as a result, he never had an allergic reaction again to her, or any of our other cats.
Love is a powerful force. I’ve read so many heroic stories of people doing “impossible” things when they chose love over fear; chose a new and brighter life over a limited and dull past. If a memory brings a feeling of love and happiness, depth and warmth, it is expanding our present and our future. But if a memory is full of despair, sadness, regret, loss, and unhappiness, it is limiting our lives and our futures. Today, I am choosing to look at all of life; past, present and future through the eyes of Love.
Many a man fails as an original thinker simply because his memory it too good. Friedrich Nietzsche
I love that photo of Jack and Eleanor! Also thanks your your wonderful message today. ox
Lovely, lovely message for today and every day!
I wonder how much of Jack’s non-allergic reaction to Eleanor and to your other cats has to do with him wanting her to feel his healing affection as well as wanting to receive hers?
In any case both are tremendously benefited.
Love from Fran
Probably depends on the cat. I have the same allergy. Certain cats don’t bother me, but others do.
Hi Mary, thank you for today’s post. it certainly makes you stop, think and choose differently than you might normally. enjoy this beautiful day!
Mary, your sweet touching story brings sweet memories of joy, of gratitude, and of love on this Memorial Day morning…thanks, again and again, for reaching out and touching us as you do, every day…Much love to you and Jack…
That is a lovely thought for the day. Thank you Mary!
What a sweet way to start the week…. good for Jack and Eleanor. Love the photo, too. Hugs to all, happy Memorial Day.
The love between Jack and Eleanor is palpable in this picture. It is a joy to look at.
My Reiki teacher told her class that we can perform Reiki on the past situations in our lives to help the healing from whatever baggage we carry. I think your post fills this out nicely.
Thank you, Mary, and may all have a sweet and peaceful Memorial Day.
That is exactly what happened for me, Suzanne, when I sought counsel and reiki from my wonderful reiki practitioner last fall on a family issue stemming back years and years ago. It’s almost like the reiki extracts that negative sadness you’ve been carrying around for so long. When she placed her hands above my heart chakra, I just felt like I was melting, and the warmth is palpable. She was not even making physical contact with my body – but her energy definitely entered or merged? not sure which, with mine, the receiver. Truly awesome.
Dear Mary. Thank you for your gentle and wise post today. The look of love and quiet devotion between Jack and Eleanor is palpable…a testament to the power of such healing energy. I believe animals bring out in us the most profound elements of hope, renewal and remembrance of something sweetly eternal. Thanks for helping us all recognize that!
What a Halllmark moment photo of Eleanor and Jack!
The power of love hit home for me today. My sweet amputee cat in renal failure had labwork that was almost normal last week. I attribute that to meds, and special diet, but more to love. In the words of Huey Lewis, “The power of love is a serious thing…” And also, love works in mysterious ways. Thank you for telling us about Jack and Eleanor.
My husband is also allergic to any kind of animal fur. His eyes water and he sneezes but up a storm. Since we have been married we have had many cats and dogs and I love that he allows them all to sleep next to him or even across his face. Love is way more important. Thanks Mary for your message today. May all the flock have a peaceful Memorial Day and as Jon said in his blog, may we some day celebrate having no wars.
One of my favorite sections in the Sun magazine every month is when readers are invited to submit a short couple of paragraphs on a one word topic that is announced in the magazine 6 months earlier. I hope this isn’t too long to share – and I will paraphrase it a bit, hoping that the man who submitted it won’t mind it being shared – such a tribute to the healing power of love. The one word topic was “Whispering”.
“Seven years ago the right side of my body began to go numb. I got tested for all kinds of diseases and conditions, underwent two MRI’s, and saw chiropractors and massage therapists, but no one could figure out what was wrong. As a single parent I didn’t have a lot of money to spend on healthcare, so I decided just to limp around and learn to live with whatever was wrong with me. A few months after the problem began, I started dating a woman who’d recently been through a difficult divorce. Why she decided to go out with a man whose foot flopped about and whose arm dropped off the chair, I’ll never know. Despite my growing affection for her, I hesitated to tell her how I felt. One night I was in worse shape than usual. I had to tuck my hand underneath me just to keep my arm from flopping about. Sensing that I was hurting, she took my head in her hands and said, “You know I love you, right?” My body suddenly went stiff, my right leg seized up, and the back of my skull radiated with pain. Then without thinking, I whispered, “I love you too.” And just as quickly, all the pain disappeared. The symptoms have never come back.”
The power of love, indeed.
Stories such as these are, thankfully, becoming more numerous, attesting to the fact that we humans are proceeding with our awakening. Thank you, Susan, for bringing us closer to that.
What a sweet picture of Jack & Eleanor. And thank you for the thoughts on memories and their impact on our present and future. I had not thought about it like that. Love, Love, Love is what it’s all about.
A very sweet example of love winning over fear. Mary, I’m sure you know… Jack is one handsome guy!!
Za-Zing! Right to the heart strings……