Last year I adopted a cat to keep my other cat company.  It has been quite the adventure.  He is fearless.  He is rambunctious.  He is all boy, all the time.  Nothing is truly safe in his presence.  Hence his name, "Lokai" (an adaptation of Loki - the Greek God of Mischief).

One of the reasons I enjoy animals so much is that I learn valuable lessons from them, and Lokai has been a great teacher.  A few nights ago he gave me a yet another wonderful bit of learning.

I've been working on my home lately - swapping rooms, doing some painting, doing some purging, etc.  This process has created piles.  Lots of piles.  This is like Mecca for Lokai.  He has been having the time of his life exploring, toppling, pouncing and otherwise engaging with the various treasures around the house - breaking a few in the process.

The other night I heard a loud crash in the bedroom and I went running in to find out what had happened.  Somehow, he'd gotten up on the top shelf and knocked my iron off, breaking it into little pieces of worthless rubble.  Now, I'm not normally all that attached to my iron.  But, I have been living out of piles while my room has been torn apart and there is a much greater need to remove wrinkles.  So, I found myself feeling crabby and somewhat fed up with his exploration and antics.

I decided to call my Mom and vent a little (rather than acting on the cat torture fantasies I was having). By the time we were through talking we were both laughing and I was reminded of all the good things Lokai brings into my life.

I was also reminded that, like him, we all find ourselves in environments that are not natural to us.  Think about it... were any of us really meant to be in cubicles?  Given that, we have to learn to adapt in order to function effectively and get along.  When others are brought into our environment they, too, will have a learning curve.

It pays to remember that the environment that has become natural to us is not necessarily natural to others, and it is our responsibility to help them learn what it means to be a part of our environment.  By being patient and offering assistance as they attune to their surroundings we can foster strong relationships and help people (or cats) be more successful - both personally and professionally.

Wishing you patience with those who are learning (including yourself) -