My wife found another kitten by the side of the road. She took it to the veterinarian who said it was a little scraped up and very malnourished but otherwise OK. Of course, the cat ended up at our house and my wife and daughter are attempting to nurse the kitten back to health.
Unfortunately, as of this writing, the small cat continues to struggle. Even with being fed every two hours (including throughout the night) and ample medications administered on schedule the little kitten is not improving.
When my wife contacted the veterinarian she was told, "Sometimes they make it and sometimes they don't."
My wife and daughter took this news hard. They have vowed to continue to nurse the kitten with no expectations. They said they wanted to give the cat the best life it could have for right now. What tomorrow brings is a concern for tomorrow, not today.
This is an admirable sentiment, one more of us should try to incorporate into our daily lives. Too often, we find ourselves racked with fear about some potential future happening. The anxiety that we stir within about something that may never happen is very detrimental to us both physically and emotionally.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older.
Even though millions of Americans suffer from anxiety, only 37% seek help. That means over 25 million of our brothers and sisters are battling anxiety on their own.
If you are one of those 25 million, please do not suffer in silence. Seek help from a mental health professional, clergy or your family. There is no stigma to mental illness. I personally feel that if someone seeks help that is a sign of strength not weakness.
I truly hope that my daughter learns a valuable lesson from the little kitten she named Lakelyn. My wish is she learns to embrace life and not let fear hold her back. If Lakelyn can impart to my daughter that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow so enjoy today to the fullest it will be a life well spent.
"Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are OK. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones."
-- Thich Nhat Hanh