Because I believe so strongly in the healing power of groups, I always encourage joining groups, especially during these times of polarization and isolation.
Do you see joining groups in my group of images today?
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Because I’m joining (for the fourth time) the group that feels sick the day after they get a COVID vaccine, the screwing off begins right after I publish this blog post.
Answering my own question about joining a musical group: the Pat Metheny group is what I would join and here they are joining each other beautifully on “Third Wind.”
If you want to be joining the group that comments on this blog, see below.
Joining groups of grateful people is easy for me, so thanks to all who help me post every day, including YOU!
When I was in Social Work Graduate School in the 1990’s, I read an article that suggested that all mental health diagnoses be replaced with one: “Stuck.” That has stuck with me, over the years.
Today, I feel stuck in grief, because yesterday we euthanized our amazing cat Oscar, who was stuck in advanced and debilitating cancer.
This was yesterday’s Daily Bitch Calendar:
Now you’re stuck with that and with all these other recent photos:
When you’re stuck, sometimes it helps to say “f*ck this shit” and sometimes it helps to cry.
Yesterday, I stuck those tissues on the table near where we were saying goodbye to Oscar, who was stuck on his favorite blanket on the sofa.
The Lap of Love founder and vet, Dr. Sally, asked us yesterday if Oscar was spending a lot of time stuck in the bathroom. Oscar had been stuck on the bathroom mat for hours yesterday while we waited for Dr. Sally to arrive at 5 PM.
Dr. Sally said that cats often get stuck in the bathroom at the end, perhaps because they are dehydrated and want to hear the sound of running water.
I’ll always be stuck with Dr. Sally’s kind demeanor, which I could read through the mask stuck on her face because of the coronavirus pandemic (which we’re all stuck with for the time being).
Here’s some of information about herself that Dr. Sally has stuck onto the Lap of Love website:
Despite being so enamored with animals as a child, I was not able to get my first dog until I was 13 year old, but on that very special birthday, I was handed a tiny, black puppy…and I immediately burst into tears of joy! Rocko and I had many adventures together throughout my young adult life, and being his pet parent taught me more than I could have imagined about responsibility, friendship, and, above all, unconditional love. We spent many years walking our neighborhood together, and with every mile, he listened to me talk through my hopes and dreams, my concerns, and my fears. I know that everyone says this about their dog, but he was the best…a piece of my past, and a piece of my spirit…always.
I’m glad that Dr. Sally is stuck with Rocko as a piece of her spirit. Of course, Oscar will always be a piece of ours.
Here’s a video from six years ago of Oscar and I stuck in another bathroom for over eight minutes as I tried to sing along to a favorite Pat Metheny tune:
I didn’t successfully stick all the high notes there but I’m glad to be stuck with that memory of Oscar who, as usual, stuck by my side for the whole thing.
I’m looking forward to being stuck with whatever comments you choose to leave, below.
Thanks to all who have stuck it out to the end of this “Stuck” post. I’m very grateful to be stuck, here and now, with you.
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally 