By Dr. Dolores Fazzino, DNP, Nurse Practitioner, Medical Intuitive, Energy Whisperer.
Last year, I adopted a 2 year old grey tabby from a feral cat rescue nearby. Gracie is all of 8 pounds, pint sized, and a cat of “very few meows”.
I can tell that she is grounded in who she is and presents herself as a Queen, not a diva or a princess. Gracie has a strong sense of who she is and what she likes and doesn’t like, I know she is a cat!
The other day, I wanted to take her to the vet for an exam due to some skin issues she was having. My initial attempt was unfruitful.
Having to cancel and reschedule our vet visit for the next day, I thought I was being clever, when I brought out her carrier that night, added some cat nip and treats to it.
The next morning, I scooped up Gracie, and attempted to place her in her carrier. She fought me, scratched me up pretty badly, and took cover in the family room.
I was surprised by her response, never having issues like this with my other feline friends. I decided that I was going to get her and put her in the carrier. Gracie, the cat of few meows, was now growling and hissing, you know that warning meow they usually give prior to attacking their enemy.
She was not at all happy.
Me, being persistent, continued to chase her around the room. She finally landed in a chair. I thought now, I got you. I proceeded to pick her up and she peed in the chair and all over me. The poor baby was terrorized.
I felt so bad. Gracie definitely was setting a boundary, and I choose not to honor that, and she escalated her boundary, I still did not listen, and finally, I got the message.
How many times are we confronted with other people’s boundaries and do not listen, honor, or respect them?
The 3 Things that I Learned Were:
1. Listen and observe.
People set boundaries, sometimes they are subtle and sometimes not so much.
2. Learn to accept other people’s (or animals) yes or no at face value.
How often do we have our own agenda and timeline for situations and not consider the other parties involved? Our actions my appear to be bullying behavior, even though are intentions were not so.
3. Look for other solutions.
There are always other possibilities. Become a possibilitarian, looking at a situation and seeing more solutions and options.
Needless to say, I now have an appointment with a mobile veterinarian to see Gracie, probably the best solution for all parties involved.
Interestingly, later that day, I was giving a talk at luncheon networking event, on the topic of “Boundaries”. You just can’t make this stuff up! LOL!
I want to thank Gracie for being a loving example of boundary setting and what others may experience when we draw the proverbial line in the sand.
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