Girls Write Out: Laying on of Paws

Friday, December 24, 2010

I can almost hear you saying it--"Not the cats again!" but just wait. I'm listing some of my Christmas blessings this year, and this one is quite unusual. Not just the presence of the cats, but their healing touch. I've posted about it before, about a year ago, when I was in pain after surgery and three of the cats jumped up on the chair with me, all of them touching me and purring. After about thirty minutes, the pain went away. Mel and I were both amazed, but you know how things tend to be forgotten over the passage of time.

Well, I hate pain, but it seems that is my gift from God this year, the pain. Fibromyalgia is not fun. It hurts. I was diagnosed with it a week ago, and though Colleen has assured me this can be taken care of without lasting effects, we're still waiting for some things to fall into place before we can begin that treatment.

So yesterday I woke up with a lot of pain again. I've noticed that the cats tend to pay more attention to me when I'm hurting--or maybe I'm just lying still long enough for them to get to me for once. Anyway, the gray-blue cat with the golden eyes, Teddy Bear, jumped up on my lap and made herself comfortable as I was lying back in the recliner. No sooner had she settled than Data, the black and white, jumped up and made himself at home on my chest. At that point I was hurting so badly I didn't care if I got cat hair all over everything. I laid that way for about thirty minutes after taking my pain medicine. Both cats purred. Yesterday it was Teddy Bear and Hobbit the fat who gave me the purr treatment.

There's supposedly something about purring that is supposed to have a soothing, healing effect on cats. I wonder if, with their special sense, they know when a human is hurting, and when it's someone they love, the want to help out by purring.

All I do know is that, in order to let the cats rest on me and purr and relax forces me to lie still and breathe deeply and enjoy the moment instead of racing toward the next moment and the next and thinking about the next chore that needs to be done.

So my gift from God this year is forcing me to slow down, and showing me some of those things I would otherwise have missed. Like purring cats who aren't as narcissistic as people seem to think they are.

Check it out. Slow down this season. Pet your pet. Take a walk in the snow for me. See if the peace of a few moments of contemplation won't give you a more peaceful heart, and then check back in and let us know how it feels.

Labels: God's gifts, Strange healing

Hannah Alexander
posted at 12:50 PM
Comments (6)

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6 Comments:

At 2:29 PM, jel said...: sorry ya are in pain.

ya do have cute cats,
"but don't tell anyone I said it" ;)

well we are going to have a white christmas. take care is ya got to do any driving.
At 2:44 PM, Peggy Blann Phifer said...: Cheryl, I couldn't agree more! Cats do seem to know when I'm hurting, just as you said. My arthritis is bad right now and I have 2 cats that sense this and constantly hover, nudge, and lap-sit. My big cat, Bubba, rolls over onto his back and tucks himself under my arm and shoulder at night. He's too big to sit on my lap (he weighs over 20#) so he settles for cuddling. And purring. He has the loudest motor of any cat I've ever heard. And from time to time he gives me little kitty kisses on my chin.

Yeah, they know, they love, and they comfort.
At 2:45 PM, Hannah Alexander said...: Oh, really, jel? We're having a white Christmas? Yikes. Mel has to work. I hope he doesn't have to drive in snow. Thanks for the warning. Don't worry, I won't tell the cats you said they were cute. ;-)
At 2:48 PM, Hannah Alexander said...: Absolutely, Peggy. My dogs used to do this, too. When my father was very ill, my dog, Gypsy, would sit beneath or beside his bed for hours. I'm sorry you're suffering with pain, too, but glad you have those little ( or maybe NOT so little) ones to tend to you. They are special.
At 11:31 AM, Jackie S. said...: Very interesting post....just sent to my daughter (suffering with a cold)....she's trying to get well and get here for Christmas (can't afford to bring germs to her Dad, recovering from triple bypass). She has 2 cats. Praying you are all better soon and have a Merry Christmas. Love your blogs (and books!).
At 1:12 PM, Hannah Alexander said...: Jackie, I'm sorry about your daughter. I hope she has arrived for Christmas and her cold is gone. Maybe her cats can help? Not sure about colds, only pain. Have a good Christmas despite all.