To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
No living creature sleeps better than a cat. Out of my cats, Mr. Sunshine seems to sink deepest into dreamland, rolling on his back and simply collapsing into whatever heap of plushy black fur his limbs go to, toes curled, mouth open, all afternoon. I often wonder what sweet dreams his feline imagination composes for his unconscious enjoyment; he is motionless, not running or nursing or doing anything in his sleep, just slowly breathing. I imagine him imagining himself sleeping in some quiet field in the sunshine with a light breeze and birds singing.
He usually does this on top of the file cabinets in front of the window where I can turn to watch him in repose, a little tingle of jealousy in my belly; but I like what I do, I enjoy spending my days in pursuit of truth and beauty and, I’ll admit, enough almighty dollars to pay the bills, I really wouldn’t want to sleep my life away. No, I wouldn’t, and I’m happy Mr. Sunshine is here, sleeping his life away on my filing cabinets instead of some less desirable alternative.
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The picture of peace…I often imagine myself as a sleeping cat when I can’t drift off, and you know – it works!
Mark, I remember being disappointed in this photo at first because I didn’t get “all” of Sunshine, but it was the one that stayed with me and I realized that was the way it was supposed to be, just a little bit of him “above the surface”!
That’s a good point, Bernadette. I don’t want to sleep my life away either, so it is wonderful to do that vicariously through our cats who have perfected that art to a science!
Deb, that’s one of the joys of living with them and loving them, isn’t it? Letting them do what they want, especially the things we can’t do!
Awwwww…. now that’s a tempting belly, but if your kitties are like June Buggie, it’s a temptation best passed up (unless you want a sore hand).
RumpyDog, he’s actually waiting for a belly rub–in this house, no one minds it and I’m so happy because I’ve lived with a few kitties who did that as a trap.
Lovely photo, Bernadette. I love the way the light touches his fur — and the way his hind feet curl up. And I wish that I could sleep as thoroughly as Mr. Sunshine here!
Tammy, at first I was so disappointed I hadn’t gotten the rest of him–there is a series, of course–but I was focusing on his nose and trying to make sure I got that blue light, and after letting it sit it’s my favorite from that whole set.
Like this mortal coil, perhaps? Ay there’s the rub!! Those kitties that can sleep the sleep of the just anywhere can teach us a thing or two!!
Carolyn, it may take 100 monkeys 100 years to randomly type out a play by Shakespeare, but I believe it only takes one cat one day of sleeping on his back to dream one up. But soft, that we might see a cat’s dreams and know his genius!