Friday, February 13, 2009

Solitude

It is quiet here in my home tonight. Phil is visiting his cousin in Costa Rica for five days, and I’m holding down the fort, so to speak, while he is away. It is cozy here in my barn home, and with Diamond here to protect me, I feel perfectly safe and secure.

This morning I was awakened at 4:30 by my big cat, Tom, licking my face. He is accustomed to Phil getting up at 4:00 and feeding him and little Rocky. I can’t say that I’ve ever been given a kiss by a cat before today. Diamond gives me kisses freely, but Tom – well, this just wasn’t something I’d ever expect from him. I obeyed his command, got up, and filled up the cat dish. Within fifteen minutes, both he and Rocky were back in bed with me, sound asleep.

Being alone brings back memories of graduate school days sixteen years ago. I was separated from David and living in a little one-bedroom apartment in Greensboro, North Carolina. My family worried about me living alone, but I thrived that year in spite of the pain of going through a divorce, and I loved my privacy and solitude. After living in a parsonage for fourteen years and always having people around me, I found aloneness very welcoming.

Nobody is worrying about me tonight as far as I know, and I am glad. I spent a very busy day in my home office, ate a bite of supper when I got hungry, and am now winding down for a quiet evening with my pets. I may turn on the television later, but then I may not. I have a couple of books I am reading, and I might snuggle up in the bed with one of them. I miss Phil, but I am enjoying his vacation as much as I hope he is!

I am content, and if I were a cat like Tom and Rocky, I’m sure I’d be purring.

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