Seeking

It was a gloomy, cold, rainy day yesterday. We visited Mom K in her new digs in the new nursing home. She was sitting with other residents in the community room. She was awake, and said "hello" weakly. We bundled her in the lovely cape I bought her for Christmas and wheeled her around her new home. It is truly a beautiful nursing home, with lovely alcoves and sitting areas spattered about the whole facility. There is a resident dog and a resident cat. Both roam unrestrained around the Home. The dog is very friendly, and loves to be petted. I couldn't wait to meet the elusive cat. I had seen him skitter down Mom K's hallway, so we headed that way to see if we could find him. We did see him, hiding under a desk, and when we approached, he raced back down the hall, slinking as though he were afraid. He ducked into a resident's room, and we could not find him. He didn't seem very friendly, or very anxious to be touched, or even seen. What a strange mascot for a nursing home. Why have a timid, even fearful cat who didn't seem interested in being seen, let alone held, in a place where stroking soft fur would be such a balm?

Just knowing he was there would have to do. The evidence of his presence was readily seen- catfood in a bowl, a small water bowl, a litter box. And while elusive, we had seen him briefly before he disappeared. It would give us something to do while getting to know this new, unfamiliar home with Mom K. We could keep hunting for him, trying to befriend him, and entice him to approach. We would have to follow him, try to discern his ways, reach out to him gently, learn his habits. Perhaps one day, we would touch him. Maybe the cat knew something we didn't know. Maybe the cat realized that sometimes the journey is as important as the goal.

Deuteronomy 4:29-30,39 (NIV)
But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. [30] When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. [39] Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.




-save a dog- hollowcreekfarm.org