Founder of The Mindful Moment, Dr. Alexandra Domelle shares how cats help writers with their stories
“If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many is a loving touch? I shall tell you. It is priceless.” - Alexandra Domelle
Imagine this scene:
The words are flowing perfectly, each letter appearing on the page like a master’s brushstrokes on canvas. You feel exhilarated, watching a story come to life before your eyes. Everything about this moment is perfect. You have surrendered completely to #inspiration and allowed yourself to be an instrument of creativity.
Where this journey will take you, you do not know, for the destination is of little importance. What matters is this moment, this story, this creation. #TheMindfulMoment
“But think of the possibilities,” whispers the mind. “This story could make us famous.”
The words stop. The faucet of creativity that was flowing freely and readily only moments earlier is now barely a trickle.
“This can’t be happening,” you say out loud. The story isn’t finished. What happened to the inspiration? How did I lose my connection?
You search around the crevices of your being, desperately trying to find a lifeline. There is nothing. Even your mind has gone eerily quiet, the clouds of grandiose daydreams sucked away in its murky depths.
The floor feels as though it is falling away. The more you struggle, the further you drift from the light. Disbelief gives way to anger and frustration.
Then comes the sound.
It’s a little more than a squeak. A tiny meow. A furry paw taps against your hand.
“Not now!” you want to say but looking down at the big blue eyes, something within you shifts.
You take a deep breath and put aside your notebook and pen. This is a conscious choice. Of course, you could choose to ignore your furry companion and keep trying to find the broken threads of your story. But you know better.
After all, you have been here before.
Inspiration can be a fickle muse. The moment you try too hard, the moment you stray from the path, the moment you exert control, she simply picks up her skirts and disappears. It is she, who decides the pace, the timing and the story.
All you have to do is to stay in the moment. Not languishing in the past. Nor gallivanting into the future. And like it or not, this is a lesson Inspiration is happy to teach you again and again.
So for now, you do the only thing you can.
You give in. You surrender. You let go. #PresentMomentReminder
Besides, there are more pressing things that need you and your attention right now. Things like your feline companion needing a cuddle. (And perhaps, you do too).
Oh, and reminding you that it’s lunchtime.
Later that afternoon, you are sitting in the garden, enjoying the flowers and the sun. The cat, with her belly now full, is snoozing on your lap. As you are about to close your eyes, a whisker of thought dances in the air.
“Here I am,” it seems to say. “Did you miss me?”
You smile slightly, waiting for it to land.
“There is no rush,” you tell yourself, though your pulse quickens.
The cat, sensing this change pushes her warm, pink nose against your arm. Her message is clear.
“Not yet. Wait.”
So that’s what you do. Slow, deep breaths fill your chest. Your body is loose and heavy, a mirror of the sleepy, purring mess on your lap.
You watch in quiet awe as the thought morphs into letters. Words begin to string themselves into a sentence. And then another. And another.
A story is being birthed. #Inspiration
Slowly, you reach for the notebook and pen resting on the table. These, like the cat, are your constant companions.
As you press pen against paper, the story resumes; words deftly weave themselves into the threads from earlier in the day. It is as though you never stopped writing.
Except now, the story feels much better. The characters are more compelling, the plot thicker and the dialogue captivating.
As you revel in this discovery, a paw reaches up and taps your chest.
“Easy now,” it seems to say. “Just breathe. Trust and enjoy the process.”
“And don’t worry, I’ll be here when inspiration dims, ready with a cuddle or two…oh, and to remind you that it’s time for my afternoon tea.” #ILoveMyCat