Death is a part of life; we all know that.

And deaths happen in numerous ways, things you never think could happen.

And there you are.

I love this comic of aliens discussing a cat. Within this piece, we can see life lessons are discussed.

“Do Not Squeeze…”

Within the first panel, our aliens note how the cat is soft. And here is our first lesson. Indeed, we see one alien reaching out of hold and pet the feline, only to be advised by, perhaps, a more mature individual, “Do not squeeze. Creature is soft.”

A good depiction of the fragility of life, maybe?

Yes, you and I can often find ourselves clinging to…… and squeezing those relationships and personal matters that mean so much to us. How many of us look at love, and/or some highly desirable answer to our lives and wholeheartedly reach for that “soft creature?” All systems look a-go. All things look like wish fulfillment. We cannot help ourselves. We spring to reach, hold, and squeeze.

Yet, still, there is the consistent caution… “Do Not Squeeze.” That is in the midst of temptation. After all, the creature looks so, so soft

“Sometimes, Sharp and Painful…”

And this leads us to the next panel.

The lesson here? Never underestimate the seemingly harmless.

Likewise, we also get a lesson is duality, not either/or, but and.

Yes, the trickier land of “And.”

That means that we need to accept it all: the good and the bad. The pain, with the cuddles. Easier said than done, isn’t it? The adorable kitten that scratches. The irresistible puppy who bites. The dream-come-true relationship or opportunity that disappoints and hurts us.

“Sometimes they can also be sharp and painful,” is the guided response, for which our impressionable, enthusiastic, alien friend responds with, “Oh.”

There is learning occurring. And we all can embrace it as enthusiastically as we would want to grab that cat.

But are we learning?

“Gently Admire…”

We next move to the appreciation panel. The connection between respecting the softness, to better avoid the painful sharpness, is established. Here, our aliens realize and discuss how gratitude must be present in relation to any softness of anything we desire. Yes, we need to

appreciate the powerful value of anything or anyone in our lives. Handle with care. The fragility of life. It means not recklessly bounding into a situation or a person’s life, because there will be impact… and not always the impact we desire or intend. Human beings are destructive and, before we know it, we can get so caught up in a circumstance, person, relationship, opportunity, etc., that we go full throttle with that excitement, creating wreckage everywhere.

Gently admiring, however, in this instance, like we see in the image, brings a peaceful, contented expression on the cat’s face. It is probably because our feline is not feeling threatened and unsafe from unbridled enthusiasm aimed directly at it.

Truly no one of the feline persuasion enjoys rushing hugs and gropes from anyone. Most people aren’t thrilled with that, either.

Everyone mostly looks for the nearest piece of furniture to hide under.

And here’s another fun fact, added to the wisdom from our alien friends here. It’s not perfectly achieved every single time. For, all of our earnestness, efforts and “hearts in the right places,” heartache, mistakes, and pain can still occur.

And here marks a great segue, finishing off the moral of the story…

“Respect the Blades…”

Yes, our alien friends and our kitty are smiling, appearing to be filled with gratitude, happiness, and a great outlook on life. And that is great. But we can never forget that life is still sharp and cutting, even concerning the most comfortable, loving, and innocent of circumstances.

A smiling, soft creature of a cat, can still be painful.

Ergo…

“Respect the Blades.”

We’re back to the fragility of life. When things are wonderful and soft, when things are painful and hard, it keeps going. And we can never know when things will change.

Sometimes, the most we can hope to achieve is to respect the death blades of that reality.

Life has claws. Life has brutality and sweetness to it.

Respect accordingly.

Copyright © 2020 by Sheryle Cruse