My nose  and face sank into my cat’s soft fur, my breathing slowed, and my whole body felt a melodious pulse. Precious Zoey had once again taken my brain, bones, and heart to a state of relaxation.

Several times a day, I feel carried to a place of composure and enjoyment, whether cuddling Zoey, brushing my legs against soft grass, or watching a Black-tailed deer eat blackberries. These avenues of balance and perspective are like reaching calm water after paddling a river ripple. 

Long ago, my nine-year-old son had drowned in an Austrian river, and early on I found softness in nature. I came to embrace the waters, animals, and plants of the natural world and their enormous contribution to our planet’s health and enjoyment. The ripples of each small stream, the warmth of a cat’s furry touch, and the smooth, silky feel of a Woolly Lamb’s Ear leaf brought excitement to my daily life. As time has passed, those small excitements have grown in both number and value.

Among the ashes

Grieving brings dark days we must pass through, whether we’ve lost a beloved human, an animal, a job, or a home. Loss calls for leaving behind some of what was . . . But in the ashes of the past wait soft fuzzies of happiness, humor, and joy!

Softness is ready to carry the griever through every ripple for reconnection to life with fresh understanding. Warm fuzzies await each of us if we even brush our legs against Fountain Grass’s purple bottle brush flowers or touch the velvety surface of an African Violet plant. Holding a giant panda as I did at the panda sanctuary in Chengdu, China, letting a Sand Cat rub against my legs at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Springs, California, and saying a quiet hello to a cougar in woods near my house are examples of calm I benefit from every day. Well-being builds more well-being.

“I feel validated…”

Friends who are gardeners find daily nurturing of living plants a direct path to healing and enjoyment. One person recently said, “Let me kneel in cool soil and distribute tiny seeds in an artistic fashion, and I feel validated for the day.” I’ve watched a birder change from a casual relationship with the air above to quiet jubilation when he saw a Black-Capped Chickadee eat seeds from a sunflower plant or a Ruby-throated Hummingbird sip sugar water from a backyard feeder.

Finding immense joy

I continue to find immense joy in observing the lives of wild cats. While traveling in Africa, I watched a female lion lay down belly-up near its prey after a large meal. I surmised she could be looking forward to a second meal just like me. In India, I saw a Clouded Leopard hang off a tree branch by its back feet and then climb down head first. The flexible ankles of this cat amazed and challenged me to try line dancing and west coast swing for ankle strength and resilience. A bobcat recently poked its head from behind a bush in my back forest carrying its wild rabbit lunch. I fold my hands in a thank-you that the natural world’s symbiotic relationships are alive and well.

Choice

Choice is firmly rooted in each of us. Small and large joys result when a person gathers softness for energy and strength.  

Here’s to finding “soft.” 
I look forward to hearing about your warm fuzzies. 

—Janice Jensen

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