How do you react when a family member, friend or pet is having an operation?

In the past I was a pacer – keeping moving, keeping worrying – like that would bring them back to me quicker. Working through every possible scenario in my head, trying to prepare solutions for each one.

No surprise that it didn’t work, I was frazzled by all that mental effort, less able to care for them well when they did come home.

Today my oldest cat needed an operation. It wasn’t straightforward, because of his age and health. I dropped him off at the vet this morning. Came home, had a quick cry.

Then a strange thing happened. I went out to a small lunch gathering, chatting and interacting quite happily. I’d not forgotten my cat, my thoughts turned to him frequently – but my thoughts weren’t stuck there. I was prepared to wait and see, then deal with what was. Not because I tried to be more sensible, but because it happened while I was busy doing other things.

That’s the wonderful thing about knowing I’m only ever one thought away from a very different experience of the same situation. I know I have the resources to deal with what’s in front of me, and that’s enough.

He’s home now, groggy, a little grumpy, but so far doing well. And so am I.