A tale of two kitties. I really enjoyed reading this story. I laughed when the author talked about not being dating material because he lives with his mom and I smiled when he talked about how he loved his kittens. I paid attention when he said that bringing back the sadness he felt when one kitten got run was not something he allowed himself to re-live. His parable/story stayed with me when I was asleep and I mulled over so much that it struck me again when I woke up, that there was a point I needed to make before I could fully accept the story. I appreciated the way the author was trying to help those who suffer from sadness over a loss by using a picture and a feeling to illustrate the valid point of not holding on to bad feelings. The kitty in the story who lived was able to keep on going and even gave back to the owner when she produced babies herself. She did not seem to be affected by the kitty who died, who was her soul-mate during their shared times.

But my point, after much reflection, is that kittens live instinctively, and “Curiosity supposedly kills the cat” but in this story, the curious cat is the one who lives? She, who lives the most instinctively, is protected, possibly by her learning adventures. The cat who kept hiding and cuddled is the one who was killed..ironically when he was trying to run away. So in a way the story seems paradoxical to me.

Cats are instinctive but people are humane, or human. People who love deeply and who lose something, suffer when they are aware of that loss every time that awareness comes into conciousness. People in a prison can tell themselves not to think about the fact that they have no freedoms, and their “denial” mental mindset can help them endure unfair imprisonment or even torture and abuse. Human beings are capable of doing this when it is a survival tactic. Some of the more sensitive ones who allow injustices to touch their souls, have a more difficult time compartmentalizing their humanity and their ability to be happy in the face of injustice or the pain of others. The kittens in the story were initially inseparable and it is possible that the kitten who was killed lived his existence to bring a different experience to the life of the other kitty who might have been even MORE adventurous without the calmer brother kitten's example.

If two brothers were in prison together and one survived to be released and the other never survived the imprisonment, the living brother would forever hold the other in his thought and this thought might be a driving force for the surviving brother and all who benefit from what he has learned. Kittens ( or people) who are capable of loving in spite of personal discomfort, who can make themselves vulnerable and endearing because they allow the world to see their weaknesses are the ones who can, not only make it better and more fluid in a difficult situation, they become inspired and self actualized. It is not easy as a human being to allow others to access all our weakness and faults and be open and humble to the criticism that inevitably results from a superficial society. It is a beautiful and very liberating thing to reach that point as a human being; kitties reach it when they are born because they are never really aware that they are being watched. Perhaps the kitten who was so cautious needed to learn that holding onto autonomous life at the expense of really living is just the same as dying..and the kitten who was adventurous and lived life with gusto and open eyes, learned that by letting go of the need to control the outcome or the behavior of others, it was liberated more than the kitten who wanted to be free and tried to escape notice.

Both kittens however provided love to the owner. Both kittens had value. Not re-living the death of one is a difficult for those who memorialize death..such as many religions in the passion of Christ before Easter. Many feel that re-living this torture, proves man is appreciative even today. I for one believe it shows even MORE appreciation, to learn from others suffering by expressing MORE love. As the author says in his story about legging go of sad thoughts, it is better to not re-live the torture but rather to appreciate the wonderful qualities TODAY being expressed in all men and in all creatures, with abandon...with open arms.