Writing to the Rescue

On Tuesday my partner's cat had a compete urinary obstruction which required an expensive intervention or immanent death.  I agonized in one vet's office and then the second for 6 hours total trying to decide what to do.  I had minimal communication with my partner via satellite text which he brings for emergencies as he was on his annual solo wilderness camping trip.

There sat I, who never wanted the cat in the first place, deciding to either spend a substantial chunk of my laid off partner's money, or kill the cat.

Luckily in the end my partner made the decision.

The cat is doing better, however both the financial concerns, and concerns that this will happen again remain.

That is the backdrop.

The gratitude was I was able to spend two hours this afternoon writing about it with 5 other women who were also deeply processing challenges in their own lives.  And that though some of those challenges felt a great deal more immense than my own, they still empathized and audibly responded to my words.  I left feeling lighter and so happy I was both able and took the opportunity to do this.  As I left the leader, who I have written with on and off for years, said something to me like, "I'm so happy that you and Michael worked out."

I had seen this situation as another potential deep difference between the two of us.  She saw us together working thru life.

I guess both would be true.

And that cat just jumped upon my lap, and I encouraged it, because somebody had to take care of him this week and it was me. And though I have not changed my opinion on expenditures and pets, I do feel a bit more empathetic.