Kitty Boy

I am feeling a sense of urgency around this mild spring weather. I want to take advantage of walks outside as much as I can before summer’s blazing heat and stifling humidity arrive. So, my big dog Leo and I hit the pavement about 7:45 this morning, walking a route we haven’t taken in a while.

At several points along the way, I noticed the same laminate sign posted to telephone poles. Two photos of a large black and white cat were featured under a heading that simply said “Kitty Boy.” Further on, the notice implored “Our Kitty Boy is lost. We are seeking any information about him, good or bad. Please call.”

I have seen plenty of “lost pet” posters in my neighborhood over the years, but none with the pragmatic message that this one displayed.  It seems that for Kitty Boy’s owners, not knowing anything about his whereabouts was possibly worse than learning some bad news. It made me think about my own need for information . . . for preferring not to be kept in the dark about things, even if I suspect the news will be painful.

Dr. Carl Jung wrote, “The least of things with a meaning is worth more in life than the greatest of things without it.”  Those laminated signs reminded me about the human desire to make meaning of our experiences, good or bad. I believe our hunger for information is connected to this. While there’s no doubt that the persons who hung them want to have their dear cat returned safe and sound, I also wonder if they are right now putting some additional puzzle pieces of their lives together. I imagine they are thinking about what it has been like to share their home and lives with Kitty Boy and what it will be like without him.

It takes a courageous heart to ask for and face difficult news. May these occasions in our lives be rare . . . and may we find the strength to go boldly forward into our own journey of meaning-making when they arrive.

Terry