I know I shouldn’t. Whenever I visit my local Petco, I am compelled to visit the cattery area, where they highlight several highly adoptable cats and kittens from local shelters. My thought, my justification is that I go to give them love and send good adoption vibes their way. But, inevitably, one or two catch my eye, and I ponder the possibility of adding to my brood. Just this past week I met two lovely four-month-old striped tiger tabby ladies, just clawing and mewling for attention. The first sister was quite the show-woman, out there in front purring and rubbing and wanting nothing but for me to have the cage opened… Her sister was a little more demure but still strongly signaled, through her eyes and friendly disposition, her desire for a forever home…
And for a serious moment, I considered paying the $90 adoption fee for both girls and taking them home. But then I came to my senses: Did I really want to become the kitty caretaker well on her way to becoming a true cat lady? Would it be fair to place these two fair damsels in a home with five males (albeit, all neutered), for them to claw their way into the cat kingdom hierarchy? I made myself feel somewhat better with the logical thought that kittens get good homes pretty quickly—especially those highlighted at the Petco stores. But, still, my heart was somewhat heavy as I left the store with my specialty cat food…
Yes, logically, I know I did the right thing. A balanced and responsible decision. Unless there is an extraordinary need (which was NOT the case here), my choosing to adopt two additional cats to be brought into a home with a brood of existing feline inhabitants would have been selfish on my part. But I do know that both Roger and I love cats and — if you ask in a weak moment — we will say yes if another feline approaches us with a true need. So there is always that tendency to expand…
This incident begs the larger life question of balance. How do I truly know if I am making the right decisions in my life? And… how important is balance when it comes to living a creative life—a life not only replete with responsibility and obligation, but one that’s also painted with whimsy and magic?
How do I balance my left-logical brain with my right-brained desires for expression and freedom?
