speaks to my heart so much sometimes.
We laugh when we say he is emotionally constipated. And when we say he is an emotional eater.
He is quirky. And aren't we all?
He has his own emotional need issues, and don't we all?
He will want attention and go about it in all the wrong ways. Before this picture, he was running under my feet literally. He was tripping me. I have balance issues and am a fall risk. Extremely frustrating when he acts like this. The whole time he is under my feet, he is meowing--- in such a way that it is nagging, whining, complaining and demanding. Not conversational at all. He is "asking for food" and yet he was fed 4 hours ago. To feed him will result in weight gain.
What he wants is attention. He wants to be talked to and with. He complains while his ears are scratched. He contorts away from fingers trying to soothe and be affectionate. And then he leans in again for me to scratch and he pulls away again. The process is repeated many times. He resists what it is he really wants. I have to be detached and persistent. Kind, gentle, firm and unaffected by his mood. Only scratch, rub and pet he when he leans in to me. And then it happens, his purr begins, he quiets, and he finds his spot... Close but not to close. He has personal space issues. Contentment looks like this:
He is able to rest.
Contentment.
He didn't get what he asked for. He got what he needed.
Love, interaction, presence, attention, gentleness, kindness, patience.
He wasn't punished for being a mess. I did complain and tell him he was frustrating me because I don't want to fall. Unintentionally he was stepped on and kicked. But we got lunch to the table. We got the chairs in the sunshine. Then I sat and let him come to me. He thought he was getting food for his tummy. Instead his heart and emotional needs were fed.
I can so relate. I live this scenario over and over in my life. Sometimes I am the one running around God's feet asking for "food" and being whining and complaining. Other times it is the people around me doing this. Oh the number of times, the wrong need has been met and dis-satisfaction and lack of gratitude has been experienced.
Oh for the grace and wisdom to choose to turn to God and trust that He knows what I truly need so I can fully rest in His presence and be content. Please the grace and wisdom to respond with love, grace and kindness in turn.
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