Clyde’s Leap Of Faith

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I have a blind cat. His name is Clyde. He’s an old guy. He doesn’t have any teeth, but he eats just fine. He struggles to get around, but he explores every nook and cranny of my apartment, albeit with some trepidation.

He manages to find pathways when I thoughtlessly move something in my home that gets in his way. He bumps into objects (new and established), then he goes around them. As long as he moves slowly, he knows he’s okay. He’ll get to where he wants to go.

It’s good for him, I think. It keeps his brain active and prevents him from going on autopilot.

Clyde depends on me to feed him, to help him get around, to love him. He depends on his non-littermate brother Claude to give him love, too. They’re bonded in a feline understanding of acceptance, regardless of ability or disability – unconditionally.

There’s something else that Clyde depends on. He depends on the floor being there to meet him when he leaps out of the litter box. It’s a leap of faith that he makes with courage and confidence.

Dear little Clyde. I love him so. He doesn’t mourn the loss of his sight. He deals with what is, not with what might be or what used to be. He’s in the present, always living in the now. Now is the time to eat. Now is the time to use my litter box. Now is the time to sleep. Now is the time to get some love from mommy.

In this surreal time of sequestration with an unseen viral enemy seemingly all around us, perhaps we can take a lesson from Clyde. Now is the time to live with acceptance in the present and deal with what is, not with what might be or what used to be.

I think humans need to take a leap of faith at this time. We can slow down – we have to slow down – and take time to find our way around the obstacles. We have time to get to know the ones we love, near or far. We have time to get to know our true selves. We have time to understand what is truly important and what must change.

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The one thing we don’t have time for is to continue on the same path. Let’s move some things around and find our way to a new world, one filled with kindness, compassion, and acceptance of others, regardless of ability or disability – unconditionally.

We need to have faith that, when we leap, we’ll come out on the other side of this surreal pandemic into a new world filled with supportive community who take care of each other. In this land of plenty, there actually is plenty for all. We just have to let go of fear, open our hearts, and understand that we are all one. What happens to one happens to all.

We need to have faith that we don’t have to return to “normal.” We’re free to choose kindness. We’re free to act with humanity. We’re free to choose another way of living together. We must have faith that when we put selfishness aside, we can bring our world – and Mother Earth – back into balance.

It will take work. It will take mindfulness. It will take a community – a global community.

We can come out of this together better than ever. Please, let’s take a leap of faith together and know that there will be a new foundation there to support us if we take the time now to create it.

Let’s not go back to normal.

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