Scooter

Scooter's rescue was easy, but that doesn't make it less meaningful. Scooter had been stuck in his next-door neighbor's tree in Denham Springs, Louisiana for only one night, but the anguish he caused for Jeannie was immense. Jeannie loves her sweet, nine-month-old Snowshoe boy, and she was suffering more than Scooter who seemed to handle his confinement in the tree just fine. Scooter was very relaxed when I climbed up to him, and we became friends right away. Once I got into position to place my lap next to him and spread the bottom of the cat bag over my lap, he calmly stepped on my lap and sat still and quiet while I needed more time than usual to pull the bag up around him. I took him down and returned him to Jeannie who took him home and released him inside.

Jeannie was so grateful that she wanted to pay me, but, as I always do, I refused her offer. I tried to explain that I don't want this to be about money. It's about suffering, hers and the cat's, and I feel good about relieving that suffering and don't want money to contaminate that feeling. However, I was also weighing how important it was to her to give that money to me and if I was being borderline rude to refuse her gift. I have been in this position a few times before, and I was beginning to think that the nicest thing I could do for her was to accept her gift graciously. That is when she relented to my arguments and asked if she could just give me a big hug instead. Well, sure! I love hugs, and that is a lot more valuable to me than money. So we enjoyed a big hug, and that is the most meaningful thanks I could want.

I don't mean to be rude and cause people to feel frustrated or rejected when I refuse their money. I understand how our society is so money-focused, and I also understand how natural it is to want to reciprocate in some way. It's in my nature too, but I think there are times when we need simply to accept a gift graciously. After all, if you pay for a gift, it's not a gift anymore. I certainly don't pay my wife when she hugs me. I accept her love as the gift it is, and I give her my love as well. Rescuing cats in trees is my gift of love to all the cats and their owners in my community, and I love doing it. I love the feeling I get from relieving the suffering of both cats and their owners. I love having a hobby that keeps me fit and useful while benefiting others in a meaningful way. I spent all of my career working for money, and now, in my retirement, I want to work for meaning instead. It's very kind and generous of everyone to offer to pay me for a rescue, but I would rather see their smile of relief, hear their expression of gratitude, and get a  picture of their cat sleeping comfortably and peacefully after the rescue. And I absolutely love a big hug.