Lord, I want so much to have this radical connection. I do. I mean…I don’t know. I want everyone to get along. But what if they don’t? What stand do I take then? I am thinking about the kitties, all the kitties. How Morgan wasn’t safe for the others. And then, Lord, I tamed him. Or You did. He heard my heart somehow. Back then, I thought at first I was hearing You tell me to forgive him, when he was fighting with the others.
Actually, what you were saying was that you would accept Morgan into the Circle if his behavior changed. Even then, you felt compassion for him. You wished you could help him. You were concerned that your actions would make him worse. And when he did change, when he did grow calmer, you welcomed him and loved him and gave him his first real taste of love, of safety, right before he passed.
Yours is the classic boundaries struggle. Listen to yourself. Listen to what you already know. It is okay to have a circle. It is okay to define the parameters for that circle, to set values for that circle, values like tolerance and gentleness. It is okay to draw a line of definition. Your circle expands outward, but the definition does not change. You are willing to let your circle expand–I Am saying to you, don’t distort its shape and purpose to make it a lasso. Keep maintaining your intention of connection and peace. Attract into your circle–of friends, of animals, of family, of customers, of clients, of artists, of collaborators–everyone and anyone who is of like mind and heart. Keep your heart steady and true. This is what you do. This is who you are. Live from that center.
What about forgiveness?
Forgiveness and tolerance are not the same thing. You can forgive and simultaneously refuse to tolerate.
How, Lord?
Think like this: every day, you gave Morgan another chance. You put out food in a place away from the others so he would not starve. At the same time, you guarded the others so he could not approach them until he was fully tamed. You did this all over again with your current feral, Torri. And you are doing it again, right now, with Sambo. And look what happened, look what is happening. Your willingness to both forgive, while not tolerating unacceptable behavior changed Morgan, changed Torri, and is changing Sambo.
What about people?
Forgiveness, as you know, means setting you free from being tied to punishing someone else. Forgiveness seeks healing and restoration. Forgiveness wants the best for the other person. Forgiveness does not excuse or make light of wrong. Forgiveness especially does not signal that bad behavior is all right, or is excused or excusable.
Like my prayer years ago: please don’t punish so-and-so on my account.
Exactly. Forgiveness practiced the way I intend it builds compassion, not doormats. It does not minimize or trivialize any wrong, any betrayal, any abuse, any suffering inflicted on another. Forgiveness makes a way for transformation and change. The true miracle in the story is that your actions and choices made a way for each of those kitties to make their own different choices, to be drawn to you by your heart, which truly wanted–and wants–the best for all of them. They sense that. Try this: try praying for your planet, your country, your leaders, anyone in your circle that you care about, anyone just outside your circle that you are concerned about, try praying that just as the kitties sense your heart for them, these people will sense My Heart for them. That, I promise you, changes everything.