Wikipedia says unconditional love means affection without any limitations or love without conditions.
I adopted a one-year-old rescue kitty a couple of months ago and she has been a challenge. She is pretty sweet and at this moment is curled up and snugged up against my hip, purring away. The other story? I have been very frustrated with her wild antics- jumping, chewing, breaking things, meowing in the night when I am trying to sleep. She has tested the limit of my patience nearly daily.
When I adopted her, they told me she had recently been returned by adopters because she jumped on everything. That is what cats do but I did not think about how crazy a kitty could be and all of the opportunities to jump and break stuff and potentially hurt herself in this house. And because it is a rental, I canno build shelves for her to jump onto and I will not buy a catio until I buy my own place. I have moved things around and I have boxed up decorative items. And I have loaded many squirt bottles to help her learn boundaries.
Since I lost Twig in January, I was really missing feline energy in my life. I adopted Maura not to replace Twig but to help fill that void. An animal communicator friend confirmed that she is a gift from Twig until he is ready to come back to me. So, what is she here to teach me?
She has been exasperating. I have to close my door at night so I can sleep. I have to close the bedroom door in the mornings after feeding her in order to have quiet while meditating. At first, I did this in anger but now I give her a big kiss, tell her I love her, and put her in the hall. Patience and love have moved the energy for us both.
Unconditional love is about not putting conditions on another and accepting them for who they are- even if they are a wild cat! Can I love a beautiful affectionate independent animal that exasperates and frustrates me daily? Can I forgive her for breaking stuff I care about? Can I live with her on her terms? One that wants to be wherever am; follows me throughout the house, curls up pushed up against my thigh on the couch purring and kneading away? Yes! A resounding yes.
Learning what unconditional love is has been a tough lesson. I have wanted to take her back more than once and I am an animal communicator and energy healer! But we are challenged, too. The key is we have tools and I realized why Twig sent her to me. Do I still get frustrated with her? Yes. Raise my voice- sure but not as often. Laugh at her silly antics? Every single day. If I leave the room, I find she is behind me. She follows me whereever I go. She’s not a cuddler yet she is a lover. And I finally completely understand what unconditional love really is about (Twig was easy even when he was a kitten). Recognizing this, I’m working on ways to accommodate her personality and keep my sanity. She is safe, she is loved, she is now part of the Hawke family- forever.
What greater gift than the love of a cat.
Charles Dickens