I am writing this blog sitting on a train from Milford to
Grand Central Station in New York City. We have been spending four days with
our colleagues in the US and Canada on a special retreat updating each other on
how we have been working with our programme- the Leadership Development
Intensive (LDI). It has been a very intensive time together- connecting,
sharing and learning.
Our colleagues, Lynnea and Michael in Milford generously opened their house to all of us which made the gathering extra special because of the homely and intimate environment. Michael is a fiendish cook. We were blessed with three straight days of the most incredible weather. Each day greeted us with the most amazing sunrise. I took to walking in the mornings with Plum- enjoying her bright chatter, great conversations and walks along the water’s edge. Truly magnificent.
And---
in the midst of all of this, Harmony. Lynnea and Michael's two cats of which one in particular, Harmony, sat and slept on my bed every
night while we were there. She is more mamacita than feline. So to move her
off the bed was nigh on impossible. My unconscious kicks in the night were met
with a big soft ball of fur----and my remorseful ‘oh
god, sorrys...’ were met with a few mere twitches of the ears. Unusually for me,
being more of a dog person than a cat person, I was surprised at how much I connected
with their spirits. I felt I ‘understood’ their energies and ‘read’ their needs
and for the first time in my life, felt close to the spirit of these cat-beings.
What a great life! Harmony sat on the bed, purring and curled up pretty much
all day, wandering around when it suited her, ate- or not- when it suited
her. Most of her time was spent calmly
looking around, washing herself, padding around and enjoying being stroked and
tickled. WHAT A LIFE! I learned so much from her. Being with her also helped me
to connect with the playful and wonderous child in me- to be silly and cooing.
I took to this ‘mantra’ for both Harmony and myself---‘I am a cat, I am a cat,
I am nothing but a puddie tatt...’ Meow! As I laughed at my own silliness, my
mind wondered what connecting with the ‘feline’ in me will bring...I’m
smiling...like the cat with the cream. Meow!
