Wonder Works Studio
401 Buck Hollow Road
Fairfax, VT 05454
ROSE, STONES AND KITTY
July 1996
yesterday Rose let us help her take a leap of faith.
yesterday Rose listened when we said we would escort her from the deep end of the pool ot the shalow end. she took on fear of not being able ot swim. yesterday two ladies named Stone helped overcome dread of the deep end for Rose.
Jennifer Stone and Toni Stone held the kickboard. Rose grasped the edge. Rose kicked her way down to the shallow end of the pool with committed escorts, on either side. she won at the game of going past limitation. when doubt said “go back, its too frightening” she listened instead to, “grab this edge with both hands. step off the diving ladder.” her friend put a hand under Rose to let her know the escort was awake to the job. the touch of safety could be felt in the ocean of fear thoughts. Rose trusted the voice, touch and cheers of the ladies at the shallow-end clapping and intending her victory. Rose heard the doubt in herself, too, but she focused her ear to the other voice telling a way to accomplishment. Rose chose to step out into the deep. she kicked fast. she accepted the escort. Rose stepped out of the shallow end minutes later.
victorious over an old fear.
the next day black kitty was trapped on the second floor window ledge. it seemed like a good way to get in the house but the wire screen was ni the way. his owner heard him meowing from above, when she went to cut basil leaves for spaghetti sauce. “what are you doing up there?”,
“, she said. kitty showed by clawing the screen, he wanted the window to open and let him in. the owner told the kitty three times that the husband knew how to open that screen and wouldn’t be home till five hours later. “jump down from there. you’ll have to be there five more hours, if you don’t come down”, she said. kitty tried several times to crouch down and take the leap for the ground but each time he pulled back and rubbed on the ledge instead. “look, you can do it”s h e pointed to a piece on the grass
where he could land. she smacked it a number of times to remind kitty how solid and dependable the lawn was there. kitty wanted to believe it.
kitty stayed on the ledge starting to say “meow, meow” a little louder. he scratched at the screen again to indicate another way to get down. she reminded him that to jump was the available option now. he declined again. she tried to call him
enough times to change his mind. it didn’t work. he stayed up there.
turning the corner, she went to the backside of the rectangular house and peeked through the forsythia bush to see if kitty would go for the ground in privacy, kitty continued to cry as a signal, he wanted to jump. he was fearful. she came around the corner. she talked faster telling him the safety features of the jump. “i am right here. you’ll be safe. it’s not too far. you’ll make it. you jump out of trees all the time.” he listened. he stayed on the window ledge, each time trying to come
closer to leap. in exasperation she held up her hands and said “come on, you’ll be okay.” a flicker across his eyes told her, he was considering the offer. this was different than what was seen before, on the frightened cat’s face.
she was inspired. she was willing to offer herself as the landing but he didn’t get enrolled. an inspiration came to her to get the picnic quilt, fold it to a puffy square and hold arms as well as hands under it. she did this. she offered the fluffy square to him as a landing pad. he was interested. this option had possibility. he inched his front paws down the side of the house, then pulled back. “no, keep coming”, she yelled. putting on an inviting voice she told him “jump, come on, you’ll make it. i’ll hold you, jump into this quilt, its safe this way.” he came closer putting both paws down the side of the house. he leaned into the direction he was headed. his furry feet let go off the window ledge and plummeted forward onto the puffy square of coverlet! she held up his wobbling body, he was stunned. she was exuberant that the cat trusted her. she hugged, kissed, praised and returned him to the ground in a flash of a second, patting him. he ran off a little embarrassed, into the nearby woods.
what stands out in these little stories of creature and people help is who we are for each other:
WE OFFER POSSIBILITY
THAT OBSTACLES CAN BE OVERCOME
everywhere we are…
we can make a difference.
sticking our necks out
for each other is good medicine.
