One beautiful morning, Sandy enters Grandma-Litha's house saying:

"My mom says I should bring you this glass of milk that she just milked from the goat because she is going to..."

She stops mid-sentence because she sees that in a box, in the middle of the living room, there is a cat with three kittens.

"Litha, and those cats? I thought we weren't adopting more cats to care for Eture," she says with emotion, surprise, and curiosity.

"What a great surprise to see the cats, right? And at the same time wanting to care for and know that Eture is safe, right? I'll tell you that the cat arrived a few days ago, when it was raining a lot. Eture heard her and told me that she was a scared cat and that she was afraid because she was about to have kittens. So Eture went with the garden fairies for a few days so that the cat and she would be safe—said Litha while taking the glass of milk from Sandy's hands and taking the tiny bottle that was in the dish rack—. I put the box with a couple of towels for her and she immediately went in. I think she hasn't had an easy life because she has several scars on her face, but I couldn't take her to the vet to check because if you get close, she gets defensive.".

Sandy tries to get closer and the cat hisses at her, that growl that only cats make... then Sandy moves away and sits on the floor, as close as she can without bothering the cat.

"So they're not going to stay?" she asks with a tone of sadness.

"You'd like them to stay because you're excited to play with them, right?" says Litha in a tone of complicity. "Well, they're going to stay nearby. I called the animal care association and they told me they're coming for them today. It turns out that on the other side of the lake they are looking for kittens to protect their crops, because mice and birds are eating everything. They're going to be happy with all the space, and you'll be able to go see them whenever you want," Litha continues telling while opening the kitchen window.

"The kittens are so different, were they all born together?" asks Sandy.

"Yes, I also noticed that they are very different. First the one that is almost all black was born, the big one; then the one that is almost all white was born, the smallest one; and many hours later the long-haired one was born..." Litha is saying when Sandy interrupts her.

"Look, Litha, the cat doesn't let the little white one get close to her..." says Sandy when she sees that the cat hisses at the white one when it tries to get close to drink milk like the other two.

"Yes, I noticed that. That's why I asked your mom for the milk. But look... that other cat in the window has been coming every day; he snuggles with the little white kitten when I've already given her milk.".

Sandy stands up to see the cat in the window when, suddenly, they hear a heartbreaking meow.

In a second they saw how the cat was attacking the small kitten: she had her in her mouth and was shaking her. The cat from the window jumped in to defend her. The mother let go of the kitten and now the male and female were circling and cat hair was flying everywhere. The black kitten runs towards the adults. The white kitten is crying, crouched in the corner, and the long-haired kitten is motionless, just watching what happens.

Litha, taking a breath, grabbed the trash can and used it to separate the cats. The cat remained inside the can and thus she was able to scare the male so he would go out the window. Everything happened so fast!

Litha and Sandy remained silent, each with one hand on their chest and the other on their belly, breathing for a few minutes.

Then, Litha lifted the can and the cat returned to her box, where she began to groom the almost black kitten, while the long-haired kitten went back to drinking milk from her. And Sandy ran to pick up the white kitten, who was still crying, and carried her to sit on the armchair with her.

"Here, dear, give milk to the kitten," said Litha while giving Sandy the mini bottle.

The energy of the house was already more regulated and Litha walked around with a lit lavender candle to finish recovering the harmony. 

Sandy held the kitten like a baby and gave her the bottle.

"I think she's still scared, Litha. Look how her eyes are open and she's trembling.".

"Absolutely! I also got scared, and no one attacked me. How are you, Sandy?"

"I also got very scared! But then we breathed and I felt calmer. I saw the kitten all alone in the corner and wanted to hug her. Poor thing, her mom hurt her. Why did she do that, Litha? Why doesn't she care for her like the other two?"

—I also waited to be calmer before moving. It moves me that you saw the kitten alone and wanted to accompany and hug her. That reminds me that, as a Generator, you respond to what happens in your environment, and here you saw that someone needed care and you could give it to them at this moment, right?

Sandy nods her head without stopping looking at the kitten.

Litha sighs and breathes deeply before continuing to speak, as when what you are going to say comes from a great vulnerability:

—About your question, would you like to understand why the mom doesn't take care of this kitten? Or would you like to know that even though her mom doesn't take care of her, she will be safe?

—It's just that I don't understand why she treats her differently and hurts her? 

—I don't know exactly why she attacked the kitten. There are cases where felines that have a wound or a tooth infection attack other beings because the pain doesn't let them see what they are doing.

—And we don't know about this kitten because you couldn't take her to the vet, right?

—That's right. I also heard that in nature white animals can be rejected because their bright and visible color puts the entire pack at risk, but I don't know if that's true, but I do know that there are people who fear what is different.

Sandy makes a surprised face and Litha shrugs saying:

—It surprises me too, and I wish for more empathy and care for everyone, including those who are different.

—Me too —says Sandy.

—There can be many reasons, dear, but I wouldn't know how to tell you exactly if any of those apply —Litha finishes explaining.

Sandy watches the kitten as she drinks milk and begins to lull her:

—Everything is going to be okay, kitten. Your mom hasn't had an easy life, she has many scars, surely something hurts her and she can't see what she's doing. But Litha and I are here and we are going to take care of you so that you are safe, calm, and happy —she says to her while stroking her little head.

The kitten was falling asleep and Sandy put her inside the pocket of her overall's bib

For a while, they just sat there in the living room, Litha, Sandy, and the kitten while the cat and her two kittens slept in the box.

She was doing that when someone knocked on the door and Litha gets up to see who it is.

—Hello, Moni. Are you coming for the kittens now, right? Look, there's just been an incident where the mom attacked the white kitten, and I wonder… would it be better if the white kitten stays here with us, close to our heart? Maybe in a few days we can see if she wants to go visit the other side of the lake.

—Oh, Litha, of course. I'm sorry you had that experience of the mom attacking the kitten. Unfortunately, it's more common than we would like. Pain, fear, and tiredness can cause so much damage… The nice thing is that now everyone will have a family that can give them care, patience, and affection so that the wounds heal and everyone can grow with love.

Moni and Litha hold hands, smile, see Sandy who also smiles at them, and the four of them look at the little kitten who was asleep, with her arms over her face and her legs stretched out.

—I'll call you Pancy, because your little belly is the most beautiful in the world! —says Sandy.

Moni took the three cats to their new home on the other side of the lake.

And while Pancy slept close to her heart, Sandy knew that everything was going to be okay, because there is something much bigger than fear and painful situations: loving companionship. To know that, no matter what happens, we are always accompanied; sometimes there will be someone who comes out to defend or someone who hugs and cuddles; sometimes it will be an adult who returns to care for their inner child… We are loved beings.

Now the SoularPunk community —the space that leads a life where technology takes care of nature (solarpunk) and empathy and love maintain spirituality (Soul)— has a new member: Pancy. And for the following weeks, Pancy will be introduced to the other cats, dogs, ducks, and other humans of this community.

LHumanity returns to the same patterns that have caused so much pain because within us those stories of pain are still present. One way to break out of the vicious cycle of fear and pain is to receive our story with loving companionship. One story at a time, one memory at a time, and thus we will be able to walk with love for love.

Sometimes just a loving presence activates the inner medicine of each person

Do you dare to rewrite your experience with empathy and love?