LexTalk

Day 8 of 31 Days of October: A Photo + Writing Challenge

Today’s photo prompt is “Your Pet.”

Finally.

A challenge I didn’t have to think about for even half a second.

Juggy. Obviously.

And because it’s October, naturally he needed to make his appearance wearing his little Halloween bow tie, complete with skulls, bones, and just enough spooky flair to match the rest of the house.

Look at that face.

That is not the face of an employee.

That is management.

Possibly upper management.

Actually, considering he spends most of his days supervising me while I work from home, I’m beginning to think I’ve misunderstood the hierarchy in this house entirely.

But today’s writing prompt made me think about something a little deeper:

What has your pet taught you about happiness, companionship, or slowing down?

And Juggy has taught me more about all three than I probably realize.

Happiness Can Be Really, Really Simple

Cats have life figured out in ways humans absolutely do not.

Give Juggy a sunny spot.

A comfortable blanket.

A window with something interesting happening outside.

A good meal.

A cardboard box that was absolutely NOT purchased for him.

And he’s having a fantastic day.

Meanwhile, we humans are over here worrying about work, money, numbers, notifications, schedules, followers, what needs to be cleaned, what needs to be done tomorrow, and seventeen other things that haven’t even happened yet.

Juggy doesn’t care about any of that.

His priorities are much simpler.

Is Mom nearby?

Is there food?

Is this spot comfortable?

Can I sit directly on whatever she’s currently trying to use?

Excellent.

Life is good.

And maybe there’s something to that.

Companionship Doesn’t Always Need Words

One of my favorite things about working from home is having Juggy with me.

He’s my coworker.

My supervisor.

My occasional keyboard obstruction.

My completely unqualified quality-control manager.

And sometimes, he’s just my buddy.

There’s something comforting about having another little living creature nearby while you go through an otherwise ordinary day.

He doesn’t have to do anything.

Sometimes he’ll just sit near me.

Sometimes he’ll stare at me like I’ve made a series of questionable life choices.

Sometimes he’ll decide that whatever I’m doing is significantly less important than paying attention to him.

And somehow, his presence makes the day better.

That’s companionship in its simplest form.

You don’t always need someone to fix something.

You don’t always need advice.

Sometimes it’s enough to know you’re not sitting there alone.

Juggy Has Also Taught Me to Slow Down

This one might be the hardest lesson for me.

I’m always doing something.

Working.

Writing.

Taking pictures.

Editing something.

Thinking about the next blog post.

Planning another project.

Checking numbers.

Cleaning the house.

Making dinner.

Thinking about something I forgot to do while doing the thing I’m currently doing.

My brain isn’t particularly talented at the whole do absolutely nothing concept.

Juggy?

Professional.

Elite level.

Olympic-caliber relaxation.

He can find one little patch of sunlight and decide that the next three hours have officially been cleared from his calendar.

And sometimes when he curls up next to me, I actually stop.

I pet him.

I listen to him purr.

I watch his little eyes slowly close.

And for a few minutes, whatever I thought was so important can wait.

Maybe that’s one of the best things our pets do for us.

They pull us back into the moment without even trying.

Maybe Happiness Is More Ordinary Than We Think

I’ve been thinking a lot during this October challenge about finding magic in ordinary things.

Coffee in a favorite mug.

A pair of shoes that have traveled with me.

A tree outside decorated with ghosts.

A meal made at home.

And now, a cat wearing a ridiculously adorable Halloween bow tie.

None of these are enormous life events.

But they’re my life.

And Juggy is woven into so many of those ordinary moments.

He’s there while I’m drinking my morning coffee.

He’s there while I’m working.

He’s there when I’m writing.

He’s there when I’m laughing.

He’s there when I’m having a rough day.

He’s there when I’m doing absolutely nothing interesting whatsoever.

And maybe that’s what companionship really is.

Not just being there for the big moments.

Being there for all the tiny ones in between.

So, What Has My Pet Taught Me?

That happiness doesn’t always require something exciting.

That companionship can sometimes look like a warm little body sitting quietly beside you.

That resting isn’t wasting time.

That there is almost always room in the day for a nap.

And that apparently anything I purchase for myself will eventually become property of the cat.

Most importantly, Juggy reminds me to notice the life happening right in front of me.

Because sometimes happiness isn’t some huge thing we’re chasing.

Sometimes it’s a quiet afternoon, a familiar purr, a little Halloween bow tie…

…and your favorite furry coworker reminding you that maybe you can stop working for five minutes and just be here.

Day 8 Complete

Photo Prompt: Your Pet

Writing Prompt: What has your pet taught you about happiness, companionship, or slowing down?

Excerpt:

My cat may think he’s the boss of the house, but somewhere between supervising my workday and perfecting the art of doing absolutely nothing, Juggy has taught me a few things about happiness, companionship, and slowing down.