Lessons from Mukja (part 1)
Mukja improves my life exponentially. She entered my life when I needed her the most.
I thought I would discuss the biggest difference between a dog and a cat, which is, the way you communicate love.
In my opinion, the biggest difference between a dog and a cat is how you communicate your love. With my dogs, I always thought that they loved me more than I could ever reciprocate. I’m not saying that I didn’t love my dogs, but rather that they are probably the most loving creatures on the planet. With dogs, I was always receiving their boundless love. On the other hand, Mukja is not as expressive.
Mukja’s “happy” face
On a side note, I think cats are just as loving as dogs. However, cats are misunderstood. Cats are misunderstood because their range of expressions is not as dynamic as a human’s, or even a dog’s. Notably, a cat can’t smile. Whereas a dog’s face can create a smile, the most a cat can do is remain neutral. For this reason, humans have difficulty recognizing a cat’s affection.
To get back to the subject, with a dog, I communicate my love by truly appreciating their love and not taking their love for granted, and by reciprocating as much love as possible. I feel like a dog would do anything for me, and that I am its whole world. With that said, to not reciprocate, especially when the love is so one-sided, would truly be cruel.
On the other hand, with Mukja, I communicate my love by showing restraint, and only giving her the amount of love that she is ready to accept. Mukja is independent and particular. Smothering Mukja, with love that she is unready for, is not love- rather, it’s a forceful way to satisfy my compulsion. If I really love Mukja, I need to communicate love in her language, in a way that she is ready to accept. For instance, I can’t grab Mukja from her cat tower, just because I want to be closer to her- I have to let her come to me.
Collectively, my dogs taught me how to receive love and Mukja taught me how to give love. Both taught me lessons for life. With love, it’s important to match the counterparty’s energy.
Next time, I will write about how Mukja expresses herself.