Chaos and Quiet
The household was in chaos. The weather outside was not cooperating. A storm was approaching. Everyone was being affected. Everyone was on edge . . . antsy . . . anticipating being forced to remain inside.
The kitten slunk through the house going to one window, then another . . . perching on one chair . . . then another. He moved with stealthy steps . . . slowly oozing from place to place. Whenever someone noticed his movement, he froze in place until their attention was drawn elsewhere; then, and only then, would he slither on velvet paws to the next location.
The older cat stalked through the house as if everyone should bow to his will. Should a human approached, he allowed them to pet his marvelously soft fur, and then, tail in the wind, swaggered on to his destination. He sought homage, as was his due, as he stared eerily with imperial blue eyes. Those around bowed to his will. He ruled.
That is, until the pup stuck her nose in his business. Nothing seemed to faze her. She simply didn't get that her attentions were not desired. She would run to the door, standing with her front paws on the window and watch the outside world. Sensing movement, she would run to the kitten--who froze in place, puffed up like a blow fish, or lashed out with claws, hissing his displeasure. Sticking her nose where no dog's nose ever belongs, she endured his postures and hisses . . . until something else drew her attention; or he simply stalked away.
Going from door to window, to person, to kitten, to cat, to door was driving the humans crazy. Opening the door to the fenced yard, she ran into the snow, leaping from mound to mound; burrowing under only to explode into the air again far from her entry point. The joy of running, digging, burrowing, and catching snowflakes filled her with joy. She ran and played until she exhausted herself.
Her sister joined her in the play--but at a more dignified pace as was befitting for her age. They wrestled, chased rabbits in the snow, talked to the horses through the fence, and barked to the world that this was their domain.
Finally, they came back inside. Spotting the cats walking through the room, the pup kicked it into high gear and gave chase. The older dog calmly ate and drank her fill before circling and lying down on the floor. A cat streaked through the house with the pup in chase, but halted near the older dog. Pausing to cast a disdainful look over his shoulder her rubbed jaws with the older dog and wrapped himself in the security of her presence.
The pup, wanting to continue to play approached. The elder dog growled a warning. The cat settled . . . contented into his sister. The pup, warned to back off, flopped onto the floor nearby. The house quieted.
Their mother came to relax in her chair. As she sat, the older cat came to claim her arms. The other cat claimed her lap. They curled so that their backs touched. Unable to resist, the pup quietly approached and crawled up to stretch out on the mother's legs--her back to the cats--as she draped herself like a blanket. With a sigh they all settled and peace reigned in the house once more
The quiet of "the children," the falling snow outside brought the household to a sense of peace and calm. With the older dog curled up beside them, they put aside their petty differences and relaxed into the love and warmth of being family.
Too often, we humans behave in a similar manner. We growl at and harass one another. We vacillate between peaceful coexistence and chaos. It takes our parent, our creator, our God to bring peace into our world so that chaos ceases and quiet peace reign.
God teach us to treat one another with love and dignity. Help us to celebrate the diversity of our differences and to embrace one another knowing that you created us all and included us as part of the family--the family of God. Teach us to give up lives of chaos and to live quiet lives of love. So be it. Amen.
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