The Cat - Applied!

If you read "The cat", then this post might make sense to you, if you haven't then go and read that post first before reading this one. I want to use something contained in that story to illustrate a struggle that some people have. In the story the cat was supposed to be inside e cardboard box while I drove the car, but instead it determined that a cardboard box wasn't a fit place for an animal of such distinction, so it made an all out effort to escape.This left me as the driver with a dilemma - do I concentrate on driving and leave the cat to it, or do I let the cat out, not knowing what the consequences of that action will bring forth. My initial response was to attempt to do both. The outcome of that was that I couldn't pay the attention to driving that was needed - fortunately it was a easy drive with no incidents demanding my concentration; and I ended up getting scratched on my hand and arm by the cat determined not to be contained. In other words, both outcomes were poor! The more energy that I put into one, the less that I could put into the other, so eventually something had to give!
Before I continue, lets see the parallel between this story and some peoples lives. The car journey represents the journey of life - negotiating our way along through each day. Some days take a lot of concentration, some are easily negotiated, but all require a degree of attention to what is happening around us. Sometimes it takes all our energy and concentration just to get through the day - those trying and stressful days we all encounter from time to time.
The cat represents a "truth". In the story the cat was ill and needed the Vet's attention. That was the truth, even the cat knew he was ill, but he didn't click to the fact that the journey to the Vet was going to get him better - all he wanted to do was escape! That is the nature of truth - it wants to get out! The more it is bottled up inside us, the more it fights to be released! This truth can be in regard to anything - it might be about some addiction or habit that we are trying to keep hidden, or it might be about past events that we don't want to face, or about the way we perceive ourselves or the way we think others perceive us. Basically it can represent anything that we don't want to face up to or deal with!
These "truths" don't go away just because we try to ignore them, rather they keep making themselves know, as we keep coming across things that point to, or remind us of their existence. The harder we try to contain them, the more they seem to wound us, in their fight to escape. The other thing that happens is that they require energy to keep them hidden. That energy demand, takes away from the energy that we can put into negotiating our daily lives, causing us to be less able to cope! The consequences of this vary from getting irritable at anyone that somehow reminds us of this truth, to feeling stressed, maybe angry or emotional, to having a complete breakdown as we find the battle between living and containing this truth becomes overpowering.
The reason that we don't want the truth to come out is simply because we are afraid of the consequences. What will happen, how will that affect us and what will others think? It also means admitting that I have a problem, and I might need to change some parts (or all ), of my lifestyle. Often that means things that I enjoy, but are harmful, have to be given up and if I don't want to give them up, I will fight vehemently against having the truth come out!
Sadly, in order to ease the pain of those truth caused scratches, people find ways to escape! Something that for a fleeting moment or two makes them feel good! I say. "sadly" because often these escapes become other buried habits (truths), that we don't want to face, so when they are not there to give us a temporary reprieve from the hurt, they are adding to the energy drain and compounding the problem. The more energy that is put into holding these truths in, the less energy we have for daily living.
Is there an answer? Yes, but it is easy to write and difficult to do if this represents your life. Jesus said, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free!" The answer involves facing the truth, not just having someone outline something to you, but actually owning it - letting it out and facing the consequences! The interesting thing is, often the consequences aren't anything like what we feared - but even if they require some radical changes, to finally have the energy to live life and be free from the overwhelming battle to keep things hidden, more than outweighs this!
When the cat was finally let out of the box he did go berserk for a bit and yes I did discover a new problem as he shed his fur everywhere - I'm not saying it will all suddenly come right - but I could concentrate on driving the car, and work through the other problems without worrying about having an accident! Oh the relief!   Food for thought!  Greg.