Wednesday, November 21, 2007

My Box of Life

My precious, wise, and beautiful sister, Miss Peachy, came up with a delightful meme, My Box of Life, and she tagged me. And she couldn't have come up with a more purr-fect meme for Thanksgiving! *smile*

I'll open with the lovely quote by Mary Oliver, which Miss Peach used to introduce the meme:

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" ~ Mary Oliver

Mom loved the Mary Oliver quote so much that she put it on her writing blog.

Here are the rules for the Box of Life meme, as described by Miss Peach:

A SIMPLE BUT VERY IMPORTANT MEME: List your treasures and tag other kitties and their humans also, as many as you like. Let this reflection spread through out the world. We need to count our contentments as Blessings! What do you look back over and treasure enough to place inside your BOX OF LIFE?

The greatest of my treasures are made of love. I was a lucky furry, purry girlcat when I happened on my forever home. And that was about a year ago now, for I'll celebrate my First Gotcha Day on December 1! I showed up on Mom and Dad's back porch as a stray kitty girl, and they fell in love with me and I with them, and I became their third Ballicus. So into my Box of Life go Mom and Dad.

Here's me with my mom. She's a novelist and spends a lot of time at her computer (well, when she's not riding on the back of the Harley with Dad, or hiking in the mountains, *smile*). So when she's writing, I spend a great deal of time on her lap.



And here's me snuggling with dad. Like Mom, he's a wonderful snugglebug, and he gives great scritches, too.



Into my Box of Life I also put my brothers and my sister. Mom speculates that before I showed up on their back porch as a stray, I had always been an "only kitty." It was a challenge for me to adjust to living in a multicat home. But over time, I have learned not only to tolerate my siblings but to love them, and their love for me is one of my greatest blessings. I learn something new from them every day.

Brainball, our big Alpha Cat, has taught me a lot about being firm and kind, tough and gentle at the same time. He helps me keep my airy-fairy poetic girlcat paws rooted to earth when they need to be, albeit somewhat tenuously *smile*.



Dorydoo, my little sister, has taught me a lot about determination. She is brilliant! She amazes me with her will to figure out just about anything, her tenacity, and her indomitable spunk. And what a lovely little sister she is, too -- a gorgeous little House Panther. I'm so proud of her.



And MaoMao -- he makes me laugh every day! He's so much fun. He's intelligent, hilarious, and oh-so-endearing. He and I share nose-kisses on a regular basis, and when he joined us as Mom and Dad's fourth indoor kitty, I took to him quickly because he was still a kitten, and he made me nostalgic for my youth. Through MaoMao, I get to relive it!

Yes, in the picture which follows, MaoMao is sitting on top of the refrigerator, MAOing proudly about his accomplishment in getting up that high. And you know what, just today I noticed that MaoMao has grown bigger than me. He is growing up! My goodness. It brings a tear to my eye. He is a year and a half right now -- a fine young mancat -- and when he finishes maturing, he will be a fine mature mancat indeed.



One of my most treasured loves in my Box of Life is my heart's darling, my sweet, handsome, brilliant, poetic mancat Mickeybear. He makes me smile, he warms my heart, and I can't imagine not having his precious love and friendship in my life. Here he is, freshening up his floof *giggle*! He's the muse for my poetry, and our romance makes my heart sing.



Which brings me to yet another treasure in my box: poetry, the beauty and rhythm of words, the art and challenge of capturing, in only a few words, something that often lies beyond words, the crystallization of a feeling, an image, to render tangible, if only for a moment, the intangible; language as passion, language as love.

Also in my Box of Life: the wonderful family and friendships I have made on the Cat Blogosphere. The Cat Blogosphere is, bar none, the sweetest, most precious and supportive, most kind-hearted and fun place on the Internet. I am so glad I became a Blogging Kitty.

And now I am full-circle, for the greatest treasure in My Box of Life is life itself, for it is the great gift of life which enables me to experience these joys and treasures and blessings, life's great loves and its delectable small delights.

Life is poetry, in its rhythm it is poetry, it dances to its own rhyme. There are joys, there are sorrows, but they're all there for us to savor, to learn from, and to share with one another. And that is the greatest gift that life gives us: our capacity to love, our capacity to share.

Happy Thanksgiving to kitties who are celebrating it, and love and purrs to everykitty -- thank you for being cherished blessings in my Box of Life.

I will tag:

my darling Mickeybear
my BFSC Gretchen
my future sister-in-law Ariel

26 comments:

michico*Adan*Lego-小芥*阿丹*樂高 said...

Oah Dearest Marilyn,

This is a wonderful post~!
I especially love you writing you and Chairman Mao nose kiss everyday, that is very very very sweet!!!!
I think you and Chairman Mao are the best sweet hearts in the family~!!! Holding and controling everyone's mood~!!!!

I love the photo you in your mommy and daddy's arms, that means everything about love:) So much thankful that I could met 4 of you as well, that is very lucky to me~!!! And I am also wish you have a thanksgiving week~!!!!

You give me a great beautiful mood and feeling that I know there are 4 great cat friends in this world are with me~!

Hugs, Purr, and lots of pray for all of your family members~!
Adan

Mickey's Musings said...

Marilyn,Mom & I have leaky eyes reading your post. It is easy to see your heart is bursting with love! You have chosen perfect treasures for your Box if Life!
After all what is life but caring,sharing,empathy,pain,hurt,
but most important love. You have a lot of love,and give it freely.
That's it,that's all!

Purrs

Gattina said...

What a sweet post ! My Arthur (the white) is the clown of the family and little Rosie the cuddle cat ! She can't sleep before she washes my nose to say good night, lol !

mister jeter harris, hizself said...

Marilyn,
What a beautiful "Box of Life." I'm so proud to be a part of it.
You are your mother's daughter ... a talented and wonderful writer. I'll be the first on line to buy your novel when it's published!
My mom was in the City all weekend and then went to a convention in the City yesterday. She has been so busy ... she hasn't had time to help me with my blog. I read what you have to say every day, though!
My house is beginning to smell like Thanksgiving ... the cranberry nut bread is cooling and the date nut bread is going into the oven next. The pies will be baking tomorrow when Mom comes home from school ... and then, Thursday will be such a busy day here. I'm anxious to taste Mom's turkey ... and ... maybe a shrimp or two.
I'm thinking of you this Thanksgiving, Marilyn, and always ...
I am ...
Your, Mick

Tara said...

Beautiful, Marilyn, just beautiful.

And so appropriate for Thanksgiving.

Tara

Dragonheart, Merlin, Devi, and Chloe said...

Wonderful, Marilyn. :) Very sweet and loving post. All of the items in your Box of Life are to be treasured. :)

Karen Jo said...

Your Box of Life post is just wonderful. It brought tears to my eyes, but they are happy tears. I found myself very touched by your words.

Parker said...

What a lovely post Mariyln! You know what life is all about.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Ramses said...

You'z inspirational Marilyn! :) I'z got no sisfur to teach me what a good girlycat should do, but reading your blog sure helps me work out those big questions like should I love or bop my brother and housemate? ;) Thanks to you they'z gets lotsa loving most of the time...

Purrs,
Isis

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

Marilyn

Your words do indeed make the intangible tangible...they jump off the page and touch people and kittys right in the softest spots of their hearts. What a lovely thought filled box of life posting especially appropriate for this Thanksgiving.

We all from Manx Mnews hope you all have a wonderful happy Thanksgiving.

Purrrrr
Abby, Boo, Ping, Jinx and Gracie

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

Oh Marily! Yoor words always touch us. What a wonderful Box of Life you have created.

Anonymous said...

Marilyn what wonderful things for your box of life. We really like the picture of you with your mom and dad.

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends,
BL&T

Captain Jack and Sir Dante said...

What a wonderful post. Those are all great things in your Box of Life Marilyn. Thank you for sharing!

Lux said...

How very beautiful, Marilyn - I loved reading about what's in your Box of Life (and seeing the pictures).

Hugs,
Lux

Daisy said...

You made me smile when I read your post today! I am very happy that your Box of Life is filled with such wonderful treasures.

Christine and FAZ said...

That's a wonderful box of life, truly beautiful Marilyn. Purrs FAZ

MISS PEACH ~(^.^)~ said...

Beloved sister...words almost fail me...you said them all in such a touching way. Your thoughtful Box of Life is so filled with love, it might burst open and spill all about you like magic filled stardust.
You inspire me to be a better kitty in al I do...to reach for a higher standard within myself.
God Bless you this Thanksgiving day...may it be peacefull and reflective...filled with lots of good foodies and pumpkin pie! It has been getting cold here...brrrrrrr so I have been doing losts of cuddles with mommy and the Lapdaddy now...brrrrrr
Love your adoring sister Peach

Monty Q. Kat said...

Miss Marilyn, could you be any sweeter? Happy Thanksgiving! Have a great weekend!

Unknown said...

Oh Marilyn, that was such a sweet Meme. You are such a sweet kitty cat.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Hot(M)BC said...

Aw that's grate Marilyn. What a grate box of life!
We hope yoo has a furry Happy Fanksgiving!
Purrrrrrrrrs!
Sanjee, Boni Maroni, Mini, Gree and Pepi

Anita said...

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

I hope you have a good day!

Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrssss.

The Furry Kids said...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Anonymous said...

I love that photo with you and your dad!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love

Anonymous said...

Hi Marilyn,

This is a very lovely post.Plus I love the very sweet photos of you and your mom and dad.It's great to be loved and form bonds.All you Ballicus
are very special to me and have a special place in my heart...Love and
Purrs Ariel

Gattina said...

Marylin you were a stray kitten ? I can't believe it ! You are so beautiful with your different colored eyes and a completely white cat is very rare (at least here)! Really it is unbelievable that somebody just let you go like that. We had quite some difficulties to find a completely white cat like Arthur. White cats are usually deaf when they have blue eyes. We had our Arthur I who was deaf with blue eyes and he died when he was only one year old of a heart attack ! Arthur II has yellow eyes and hears very well of course only when he wants to, lol !

Gattina said...

I always say to myself read carefully or don't comment ! See, yesterday I didn't read properly and now I have commented twice ! But it's better twice then not reading at all and commenting something completely wrong,which happens sometimes, lol ! To my excuse I have to say yesterday I was in a real hurry !!