My life is filled with moments like this one:  Last night, Bodhi rang her bell that lets me know she’d like to go outside for a bit.  I have a long lead that I put her on and she can cover quite a distance in the yard.  

I opened the door to let Bodhi out and put her on the lead.  Something I do many times a day.  This time, she didn’t wait for me to secure her on the lead, she took off.  She knew I was holding onto Sattva, the kitten so that he wouldn’t run out too.  Bodhi knew she wasn’t supposed to take off, but she did.

Bodhi’s about to come into her second heat.  She’s beginning to act a little differently – more rebellious sometimes, more tender and snuggly at others.  Being a woman, I can relate to her hormonal mood swings.

She took off, and I knew that I needed to go after her.  

It was a dark night.

We have bears and coyotes as well as bobcats and fisher cats and they’re all dangerous predators.

I put on my shoes, and went to look for Bodhi.  She was still in the yard, but she went into a dark area where I couldn’t see her.  She ran into a lighter area and I saw she was heading towards the woods, where the bears tend to be.  

I was tempted to yell in a way that was letting her know that I didn’t approve and she needed to get back home.  But I checked in with my higher self and knew that the thing was to be playful and sweet.  

When she heard my sweet and encouraging voice, she turned back toward me and came around.  We robbed in the yard together with me throwing frisbees and playing tug with her.

I put her on her lead and went back in the house and both of us were happier.

My life is filled with moments where I have the choice to be upset and bothered or sweet and playful.  I know which one to choose by how it feels, by how I’d like to feel.

Gentleness is a characteristic of God’s Teachers according to A Course in Miracles.

It’s important to me to be gentle with all beings including myself!  Gentleness means causing no harm.  Harm only arises when we’re in judgment and moving into thoughts of punishment.

I don’t wish to punish Bodhi, only to protect her and keep her safe and sometimes that means not allowing her to run off where she could possibly be hurt.  My preference would be to let her run free and come and go as she wished, but that wouldn’t be safe for her where we live.  

While I often need to be firm and clear with Bodhi, I can also be gentle most of the time.  And the same is true for my Self-talk!

Aspiring to gentleness each day is helpful to me.

The more gentle I am, the happier I am.