The gentlest need
At least once a day our old black cat comes to one of
us in a way that we’ve all come to see as a special
request. It does not mean he wants to be fed, or to be
let out. His need is for something very different.
If you have a lap handy, he’ll jump into it. Once in it, he begins to vibrate
almost before you stroke his back, scratch his chin, and tell him over and
over what a good kitty he is.
Our daughter puts it simply: “Blackie needs to be purred.”
Blackie isn’t the only one who has that need: I share it, and so does my wife.
Still, I associate it especially with youngsters, with their quick, impulsive
need for a hug, a warm lap, and a hand held out – such gestures requiring
only a little time.
If I could do just one thing, it would be this: To guarantee every child,
everywhere, one good purring every day. Kids, like cats, need time to purr.
- Fred T. Wilhelms
Give what you have to someone. It may be better than you dare
to think.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
