Values

February 26

My alarm clock went off. I woke to hear about the man who kicked the cat to death in Enfield (November 2008). He admitted kicking the cat but claims that he did not intend its death. For invisible injury due to kicking, the cat had sadly serious symptoms that indicate to me that the guy was vicious while kicking. If he didn’t intend it harm, he is either delusional or a liar. It is not my place to judge so I am not wise.

When this first happened, I was upset. Cruelty to anyone or anything is repugnant. How could anyone hurt such a defenseless animal? He kicked the cat repeatedly in front of a grandmother and her grandson. Hearing that, I heard bullying and delight in intimidation. (That is probably why there is an expression that fences make good neighbors.)

In the United States, we revere celebrity, wealth and athletic achievement. The measure of a man or woman seems to be how much money they make, how famous they are (no matter for what reason) or how well they perform on an athletic field. I respect the achievement, accomplishment, and dedication required to achieve wealth, important positions, and other outward signs of material success. I do not care about a person’s fame or fortune.

I think a measure of a man or woman is their character. I define character by one’s personal ethics, their treatment of those who are defenseless and those in servile positions. How do you treat the poor, the elderly, the young, and the defenseless? If you found a wallet, would you look in it and take out money if you thought you could get away with it? How do you treat people who work a drive through window or clean for a living?

I would not look in the wallet. Any money in it would be safe with me. I have safeguarded student fees (and plastic forks, plastic spoons) and treated them as if they were gold to be guarded. I worked on a college campus where hungry people too lazy to clean the kitchen silverware attacked me to get at the plastic forks. I can be trusted with many things. I can therefore look myself in the eye every morning. I also believe that many other people can be trusted but definitely not all people.

In spiritual terms, what goes around will come around. If you take from another, a situation will occur to take that dollar amount from you. If you steal $50 from a wallet, you will probably experience an unfairness where you will lose or have to pay $50 elsewhere.

My cat kicker failed the character test in many ways, but I doubt that he cares. According to Q’uero Shamanism, evil is a human invention not found in nature. The grandmother and grandson will probably be affected for years to come by what they saw and could not prevent. As I judge him, I am not proud of my response to his actions. Not only did I judge him, I wanted to mail cat feces to his house (with two large male cats, I have plenty to spare) every day until time’s end. The only reason I didn’t is because I was afraid it would violate some Postal Service law and I’d be in really big trouble when they tracked me down. I may be on a spiritual path, but I am not wise.

To end on a positive note, all the love we send out into the universe comes back to us as well. If you see a ladybug, a butterfly or a dragonfly, you are receiving 'attaboy' signs from the universe.