Life Lessons - From a Cat

The neighbours next door have a new kitten. It’s about nine or ten weeks old at the moment, an adorable little black thing. It’s the cutest little kitten I've ever seen; when I’m in my room I can hear it meow. 

And honestly, it’s the sweetest little sound I've ever heard. I've never had pets myself, so to hear, to pat, to look at it…I can’t properly describe how it feels.

I can say it makes me wish I had a kitten myself. I’m one of those weird people who will probably end up with three of them instead of getting married. For me, there’s the cuteness factor (some of those videos and pictures – ahh!) And then there’s the fact that I’d have company, a companion.

That may happen in years to come, but it really has no relevance to the point I’m making today. A few weeks ago, I saw a friend who lives down the street from me out for a walk. 

I went over to talk to her and the kitten was out at that moment – the owners let it out when they’re at home – and it was being an adventurous little thing. It was roaming all over the place and after a while, my friend and I stopped talking just to watch.

What would happen was it – no, not it, she – would go to jump up onto the low lying brick wall. At one stage, she slipped and fell to the ground. And what did the kitten do? 

She jumped up and tried again. The second time was successful, or course, and she continued to be adventurous. But as I watched I saw her exhibit more of the same behaviours.

It got me thinking. This little tiny kitten, she just…she didn't give up. If she failed, she’d just try again. But the more I thought, the more I realised…we tend not to do the same.

When we, humans, fail at something in life, we’ll tend to think, no, that’s it, I’m done. I know this for sure because I've done it. I've experienced something, I've had failures and i've just given up. 

A few years ago I tried to get a book published. And when I contacted all the Literary Agents in Australia, I gave up. I gave up writing, I gave up on my dream. And I never really got over that. I mean, I've written a few more novels since then and I have published online but I have not considered contacting a Literary Agent once more. And I don't really want to because last time, it was a fail.

When I was at school and I failed a class, I didn't try again. I went to the office and changed the subject to something I wouldn't fail. When I fell off my bike a few years ago, I didn't get back on. When my father tried to teach me how to drive and I almost crashed into a tree...I got out of the car. And I have not tried to drive again.

I'm not saying everyone lives life like this. In fact, for all I know, it's just me. But I have found that in general, we tend to...give up after a while. If something doesn't go our way, we'll just give up and decide on something else. This can happen with anything, meals we make, hobbies, jobs, it can happen anywhere in our lives.

But this kitten didn't give up. It failed, it fell, but it jumped up again, trusting herself that she'll make the leap once more. And she did.

So I guess...all we need in life is a little faith in ourselves, and the courage to try again, and again, until we get what we want. I don't know about you all, but I've decided to live my life like a cat.