The Misconception
If you've ever lived in Nigeria, it is no doubt, the phrase "Lessons from a cat", is sarcastic. This may stem from the misconception that cats are evil-beings or because cats are less-preferred pets. There are so many reasons why a typical Nigerian would never house a cat, let alone having one as a pet - the one rule I broke.
The Fact
"Cats (Felis catus) are domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is often referred to as the domestic cat to distinguish it from the wild members of the family. A cat can either be a house cat, a farm cat or a feral cat; the latter ranges freely and avoids human contact. Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to hunt rodents." - Wikipedia. Excluding the feral cats, there exist a mutual relationship between humans and cats. Statistics from petsecure shows cats in second place, before fishes and birds, as most preferred pets in the world. These furry creatures portray incredible human-like behaviors - Cats are particularly sensitive to new surroundings and some may hide under a bed or in a closet for days or even weeks, territorialism, self-grooming, showing emotions, superiority tussle, etc.
The Lessons
As an entry level Full Stack Engineer, the pandemic came with a wave of change - restricted … confined. Seven months in a small condo, made plain, underlaying lessons from a cat. This creature has the ability to develop physically and mentally in its marked territory, as long as there exist the necessities for survival. All these while, it has never been the case to be fixated indefinitely regardless of the essentials - food, water, shelter and clothing.
"Funny, what an irony; how humans find it a hassle, being restricted"..
At first, it felt like the world would collapse; the urge to get out was uncontrollable. Funny, what an irony … how humans find it a hassle being restricted, but a house cat don't. - This is the first lesson.
No doubt, the pandemic was packed with virtual meetings, and activities moved from on-site operations, to working remotely. Truth is, if it is ever your responsibility to create, host or it is required of you, to always be available to a virtual meetup; time may dawn on you sooner than others. Less of self and more of work - for those who were privileged to have a job during the pandemic. It was almost, never possible to have that perfect hairdo, hit the gym or treat yourself, a body spa treatment … life was indeed, unbearable.
"Self-grooming is a trademark characteristic of most cats that begins right after birth. This self-grooming and mutual grooming (referred to as allogrooming) continues into adulthood." - hillspet. Keeping a clear head amidst the chaos that came with the pandemic…during these times, looking your best can become least priority. The opposite, happens to be the case for the cat, as self-grooming is inherent. - This is the second lesson.
Did you know, cats sleep on average 15 hours a day, with some sleepy kitties getting in up to 20 hours of shut-eye each day? There are a few factors influencing how long a cat sleeps, age being one of the most important ones.
According to new research by Hillarys, the average amount of sleep you get a night heavily varies depending on your job, with healthcare professionals getting the least amount of rest (approximately 4 hours 15 minutes), while those in the hair and beauty industry get more than double that (with an average of 9 hours and 40 minutes sleep per night). On average, a software engineer gets about 6.5 - 7.5 hours sleep per night, and if you take work home, that can drop to 4.5 hours per night. Gaining quality sleep, regardless of one's workload is important for physical and mental stability. - This is the third lesson.
The Counsel
Quite amazing, how much detail one can draw from the little things in life while in solitude, ain't it? Little things do matter, and that is because the big things we see today we're once just little things; things neglected, never perfected but when accumulated could destroy the most decorated minds, businesses and the universe at large. Paying attention to these little things, cannot be overemphasized.
"You can still be the best version of yourself, even when subjected to difficult times. You are special, unique and beautiful; take good care of you, regardless of the situation. Rest is bliss, and sleep, is healing in its own way."