I have a kitty whose name is Claude. She is an inside cat who found out that it’s scary outside. I’ll let her tell the story in her own words:
Boy, did I have a scare. If I wasn’t already grey, I would be now. It all started one morning when my man human had opened the window for me about 6 inches so I could take in some air. It is one of my favorite things to do. I was sitting there minding my own business when Red, my next door cat, came strolling along and stood there on the other side of the screen. Then he growled at me. I may be small and meek, but no one, and I mean no one, can growl at me through my own window. My hair stood on end. I growled ferociously and lunged at him. The screen popped off and I was outside. Outside! I haven’t been outside since I was a kitten. My humans came running. My man human picked me up and threw me back through the window, not gently I might add. I hid in my safe zone under the bed until my heart stopped pounding. Now because of that darned Red, my man human will open the window only about three inches, barely enough for me to get a good breath of fresh air. I learned a big lesson that day. Even though the air is fresh, it’s very, very scary outside.
I have to agree with Claude; it is scary outside. Just yesterday I was outside. My husband jumped on my window and made an innocent comment. Suddenly my hair stood on end. I growled and lunged. The screen popped off and I was outside where there are lots of scary things: anger, resentment, blaming, being a debtor and refusing to forgive a debtor.
In that scary place, my emotions were out of control. The scenery was familiar; I had been there many times before and I knew danger was close by. So many words and possible actions ran through my mind that I couldn’t choose what to do or say. As is my usual habit, I chose words and actions that only made the outside scarier. I yearned to be back inside in my safe zone.
Claude’s safe zone is under the bed, in the dark, hidden between the boxes that are stored under there. For me, it was in my husband’s arms. It was in saying I forgive—again. Then all the scary things of the outside began to melt away until they were only memories, memories of a bad time soothed by the security of the inside.
My husband’s arms felt like the arms of my heavenly Father, my safe place of his loving sovereignty. Slowly I remembered that even the scary outside is in the hands of God. He does have the whole world in his hands, the inside and the outside. When the screen pops out and I find myself on the outside, he rushes to my side, picks me up and gently puts me back on the inside.
Lesson learned—again.
Woodpile Kitty 