We're Almost Home

Yesterday was the longest traveling day for me and my cats in our cross-country move. Twelve hours driving from a small town on the southern California-Arizona border, through Los Angeles (that steep mountain pass northeast of L.A. makes for some wild driving, especially to a former flatlander like me), then north all the way up I-5 to Redding, California, just south of the Oregon state line, near Mt. Shasta.

We're taking a day off here to rest, then will make the final leg of the trip to our new hometown tomorrow.

I've been amazed at how well the cats are doing with this. How well they've done for the last 3 1/2 months, in fact. You hear how sensitive cats are (and they are), yet mine have handled with great fortitude the many moves, hours of car travel in their cat carriers on the back seat, and staying in other people's homes with other people's pets. When they see the cat carriers coming out in the morning, they aren't too pleased, but once we're in the car, they settle down with just a little fussing now and then: "Meow! Meow! Are we there yet?" Except for the time we had just left Dallas, and Tink decided she had to poop. How do you know a cat needs to poop? Well ... it poops.

At the end of each travel day, when I get their carriers into the hotel room (this is not a paid advertisement, but in the U. S., "LaQuinta" is Spanish for "pets welcome for no additional fee"), the cats immediately come out and start surveying their new domain. I can see how self-confident and self-possessed they have become. I guess they've figured out that everything is OK and they're safe. When I first began thinking about making a big geographical move a couple of years ago, I started talking to my cats about it. I asked them if they'd go anywhere I went, and they said yes. They must've meant it.

Being a sensitive person myself, I've always found traveling rather challenging. The Sagittarian part of me loves the excitement of exploring new places and experiencing the differences in energy and culture.  At the same time, those very things also tend to overwhelm me.  There is a definite part of my personality that wants to be at home in my own bed at night. I need time to retreat into my own space, my sanctuary, where I can recharge.

Since I have not had a home or been in my own bed for 3 1/2 months -- those ceased to exist on August 29 -- I have had to deal on a daily basis, for an extended period of time, with the lack of a place that's "mine" to retreat to and recharge. It has been very challenging, and I can also see good things that have come out of it. I said above that my cats seem much more self-confident and self-possessed; the same thing can be said about myself. Our pets generally tend to be our little mirrors.

Ironically, where before I resisted staying in hotels because they were not my own space, the last few days staying in hotels have been wonderful ... it's the nearest thing I've had to being in my own space for a long time. Ultimately, of course,  I'm emerging from this aspect of the Katrina experience understanding that "being in my own space" has nothing to do with whatever geographical location I may find myself in, but in being present to myself. My own space is inside of me, not outside.

I can see that the more I can live from that standpoint, the more at ease I will be living in the world and the less my tendency to approach the world by fighting and struggling. I lessen my need for externals to be a certain way in order for me to feel comfortable. To take that thought a little further, perhaps I lessen the extent to which I am willing to compromise in unconstructive ways in order to avoid feeling uncomfortable. "For shelter, the world" can then become a reality.

That said, I'm still really looking forward to having my own home again.

A side benefit of all of this is that I am much more OK with the idea of traveling now. There are places I'd like to see, events I'd like to go to, and I can see myself doing those things now.

Comments

[marlaine]

travel safely :)
i'm so glad your cats are doing well with all of this...and yes, i believe, too, that they are mirrors - must mean you're doing well also !! :)

[Michael]

Kitty.....Standing ovations for you and the kitty kats:) I feel you are a brave traveller and all of you are amazing (kitty kats included:)

I am glad to see/read/feel that you are so calm, at peace and one with the world and I might add excited at your adventures and of course finding your new home:)

I remember you said you will stay with a friend till you find a place..but I bet you find one you love quickly.....and that's just extraordinarily sweet:) Home Sweet Home!

Safe travels on the remainder of your journey...Glad to see you survived the Pacific Coast Highway:)

Michael