Ok, I'm one of those corny people who makes fun of popular songs, poems & sayings. But I really do mean the title of this blog. The question is, how deeply involved are you in your life, what's around you, & the people & blessings in your life? That's what this is all about. If you have cats or other pets, did you know that every animal (as well as people) has it's own unique scent? Mothers smell their babies when they're born & vice versa - all breeds, people & animals. Do you recognize the scent our your spouse? I never thought about it with cats or other pets until Bonnie grew up (my beloved long-haired black cat). I used to ruffle the fur on her back with my face because it felt so good. That's when I noticed her unique scent, came up with the words that are the title here. The sentiment fit. When I was stressed, it really helped to just stop everything & pet Bonnie, listen to her purrs, enjoy the contact.
We get so caught up in our daily stresses & work that we neglect what really matters - true & deep involvement with the people around us, our pets, & the wonders & beauty. And the problem is, that's all that really matters & is really the best of all there is. So if you don't stop & take time to enjoy them, you're missing out. Stopping all the noise around us (cell phone, TV, music) to listen to the birds singing, & truly enjoy it, is to hear the sweetest music. Or the sounds of laughter & play are also very sweet music. Most sunsets are better than most paintings, & free of charge. One of the biggest ways to relieve stress is to stop & be present, enjoy what's around us, whether it's people, pets, or nature. All of it's free & there all the time. Enjoying these things, stopping to notice & truly appreciate them, leads to gratitude & true happiness. Sometimes I've wondered how I'm able to maintain a sense of happiness overall when things can seem to go so wrong in my life. The answer is that I do stop to smell the kitties, am deeply involved in life & the goodness of it. I choose to be happy, to enjoy what I have & the pleasures around me, no matter how simple. I often talk with my cats as I go past them, stop & give them a pet, tell them I love them. So they are very happy, giving, loving, & well-adjusted. I stop & look out the window & find something to appreciate. I fill my surroundings with things that bring me pleasure & then I notice & enjoy them. I try to be as present as possible as I go through my life. I get involved with people, go deeply into my areas of interest. I'm not a surface skimmer at all. That's not to say that I don't get preoccupied, but I try not to stay that way.
I really tend to multi-task so it's very important for me to stop & notice what's around me, stay in the present. What I've learned is that we all make our own happiness. Happiness, gratitude, & fun all go together & they're best found in the little things. I do things like sing to the cats, tunelessly & spontaneously hum when I'm especially happy, & make things into fun as I go along. It's all a matter of attitude. When I walk through the house I notice where the cats are & what they're doing, pay attention to them. Usually I stop & give them a little attention. When one of them asks for attention, I almost always stop what I'm doing & give it to them. Therefore, I have a happy family of contented cats, as I've tried to manifest. All of this is part of my intent, & true intent helps you focus on what's important. I can't really say I stop & smell the kitties much these days. Only one seems to really like having my face in her fur, & her fur is short & sleek - not the kind to bury your face in. However, she loves to stick her face in mine so I certainly know her scent. I know the particular feel of Whiskers, since he has such a unique coat (coarse top hair & an undercoat, more like certain dogs). I know the sounds they make & can tell from another room who & is doing what. I know the feel of each of them, & enjoy them all. I'm very much a sensuous person & recommend it to all. By sensual, I don't mean anything to do with sex although it can certainly enhance that. I mean one who gets deeply into experiencing the 5 senses. I experience things majorly through these senses. For example, did you know that certain flowers have different scents depending on color? This used to especially be true of tulips, although the varieties have changed & scent doesn't seem to be much of a factor any more. I stop smell the roses & other flowers, plant based on scent & color. The more present you are, the more you use your senses, the more you'll get out of life & all around you.
These days the only constant in my life is my family of 6 beautiful, unique cats. I didn't set out to have 6 cats, usually gave homes to 2-4. Now that I'm single, I wondered how I'd meet the social needs of 6, be able to give each enough love & attention. But since I stop & pet them, am very present with them, we do well together. I pay attention to their individual personalities & needs. Cassandra & Karma have been with me since November 6, 2010. They were abused & dumped, so I've given them special care. Karma suffered blunt force trauma to her spine before finding her way to me. She's skittish with most people, & just now opening up to full petting from me. Mostly she preferred to lie against me without me touching her. Now she crawls onto my lap & wants a little gentle petting, full body. I'm very careful in how I approach them so I don't come on too strong with them, startle them or touch off bad memories. Cassandra like to rub her nose against mine when receiving loving. Karma shows her affection by following me around & licking my leg if I stand still long enough. Whiskers just likes to have his neck petted, doesn't really like full body petting. Long ago I figured out that his back is ultra sensitive to stimulation. He's turning 12 so I've had a long time to learn him. He likes other to offer their hand & if he accepts them, he'll bump the hand to ask for scratching on his neck. Breezy is up for anything, any time. But I know she likes to sleep under the covers when it's cold, & that she needs to knead me. We work it out so I don't get hurt & she gets what she wants. Louie has to be in the mood for attention, it's all on his terms. He likes for me to offer my hand for licking, sometimes likes for me to then pet his neck with that hand (a form of using me as a grooming tool). And Angel is just desperate for any love & affection shown. I struggle with that because I'm not good with "constantly needy" that never gets full. I've learned all this by paying attention to their cues, really tuning in as a giver. Many people give what they like rather than what is needed, even with cats. They don't pay attention to the cues from others, even when needs are specifically stated. From living with cats, I've learned to pay attention to those subtle cues, to hone in on needs, & to give what is needed rather than from my own style. I again recommend Gary Chapman's book, The Five Love Languages. We're all in relationship to other humans, & it talks about the 5 different styles of giving love & recognizing love given. It applies to work & family relationships, friendships also. It's written to couples but when you understand these principles you're able to see how others are trying to express esteem for you & other good things. It also teaches you about your own style, & how to recognize the particular style & therefore needs of others to receive from you. So it's helpful in all areas of life because life involves relationships. We all only benefit from this understanding.
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