Sometimes when I don’t know what to write about, I look for an image that speaks to me for inspiration. Before I saw the questions below the image, the kittens gave me a warm fuzzy feeling that said, “Write about me!” The questions were a bonus.
Sometimes it’s hard for me to find that feeling of safety and comfort. Sometimes I need the reminder of how I can self-soothe. Maybe I can share the reminder with you for times you might forget too.
I love my pets. Our house is filled with furry children–four cats and two dogs. I have a beautiful calico cat named Darby who loves to be petted. She lies next to me purring because she loves the attention so much. I can’t help breathing a little more slowly and deeply when I hear that sound. Before I know it, I’m concentrating on the softness of her fur and the sound of her purring.
Callie, one of our rescue dogs, is seemingly Darby’s complete opposite. She’s hyper and not always as well-behaved as I might like. But she has this amazing short fur that my wife says feels like whipped butter and the sweetest dark eyes. Unfortunately, she doesn’t purr. She has a bark that is nothing like the sweetness of Darby’s purring. When she puts her head on my knee or nudges her nose under my arm as I’m sitting at my desk, though, I feel the same way I do when I sit next to Darby.
I could go on and on about each of my fur babies, but the message I want you to walk away with is this: what can I do to help myself feel safe and warm and loved? It will probably be different for each of you. It may be different for each of you at different times. But if you know what to do, you can take care of yourself when there’s no one around to take care of you.
Finding Our Voices Together 