Catsiderata Go placidly amidst the noise and haste And spend as much time as you can in peace and silence As far as possible, do not surrender And be on good terms with all people from a distance Speak your truth clearly and quietly only at mealtimes and when the door needs to be opened Listen and occasionally blink in acknowledgement of the presence of others and when everyone around you is dull and ignorant, never lose your cool; Simply walk away slowly And sharpen your nails on something valuable to convey your inner power
More than one hundred lifetimes later and like the alley cat, back on my feet. "Who are you" I ask the precocious seven year old who used to have the answer to everything, "And where are you going?"