Happy May, Friends of Faye!
May has always been one of my favorite transitional months—historically recognized by a series of shifts: away from the frantic pace of the end of another year of teaching and a shift towards the more relaxed pace of summer; away from essay grading and towards beach reading; away from weekend soup-making and towards fresh strawberries from Saturday morning trips to the farmer’s market; away from early morning alarm clocks and towards another few hours under the duvet. This May feels different, though, as we all wait for a transition into our post-pandemic lives. For me, this will mean a return to in-person work, after teaching remotely for nearly fifteen months. And while I have grown weary of seeing my students as mere boxes on a Zoom screen, going back out into the world feels daunting, as if I have to re-learn how to “people” again.
During times of profound transition, I often turn to the whiskered wisdom of the cats in my life—each of whom transcended tragic beginnings and traversed the winds of fortune with poise and grace. My first cat, Crawford, was tied in a garbage bag and thrown from a moving car into the woods across the street from the house I grew up in. My second, McKenzie, survived hypothermia, after being abandoned in a pet carrier on the side of a Stop & Shop during a snowstorm. Brinley Rose, a Tabby’s Place alumna, was lost in the woods for months and then spent nearly eight more months in the hospital, recovering from a severe injury. And my most recent adoptee, Story, was rescued from a hoarding situation, and, through a series of seemingly fated events, made her way to me. Each of these souls found themselves on the underside of the wheel of fortune but journeyed on—through streets, and storms, and struggles—as the wheel slowly spun towards something better.
Faye, too, continues to spin the wheel of fortune with the skill of the goddess Bastet herself. Bastet, worshipped as a deity in ancient Egyptian culture, was the goddess of protection, pleasure, and good health. Faye, whose earlier days were marked by uncertainty, found her way—through miraculous acts of love—to Tabby’s Place, where she continues to prove that fortune does, indeed, favor the bold.
Faye had a blood screen done this month, and all her values were within normal limits! That’s an incredible feat for a kitty like Faye. In fact, Faye has once again turned adversity into opportunity, as she seems to have found her vocation in medicine. Several times in the past month, she has been seen “assisting” our staff by plopping herself right down on the medication book and supervising the comings and goings of our medical team. The once floof-but-aloof Faye seems to be trading in her tiara for a stethoscope and transitioning towards a new career in public service. What does it all mean, friends? Well, if you ask Faye (or any other cat, for that matter), she would tell you that each of us has nine lives that required continued invention and reinvention, that’s it’s okay to lean into where you are or to move towards something new, that you might find yourself on the bottom of the wheel of fortune one day, but that wheel will spin on, and that wherever you are—and whatever transition you may be navigating—you will find your way.
Faye wishes you a gentle month and reminds you to take care of yourselves as we all make our way through streets and storms and struggles. She asks that you think of her ongoing journey and hopes that it helps you feel more grounded in yours. Mostly, though, she thanks you for traveling with her along this weird, winding, wonderful road. May you be happy, healthy, and safe. We’ll talk again soon, friends . . .
Your correspondent,
Beth