Describe one habit that brings you joy.
Oh how this prompt has been recycled! I feel like there have been countless times that I’ve talked about things that I do that bring me joy. I knit. I crochet. I read books. I sit in my backyard and write blog posts. (Full transparency—this is being written on my couch. Gotta test out the new couch cover that just got delivered). Come to think of it, I’ve even written about sitting on my couch! I think there was a whole post about my favorite spot on the couch and how I love sitting in it during the evening, watching tv with my husband, and working on a yarn project. Let’s see, what else? Running used to bring me joy. I’ve written about that too.
There are a lot of habits in my life. I am very much a person who relies on routines. Which, thanks to my therapist, I understand why. Because I have an anxiety disorder, she explained that anxiety lives in the future. The routines I have for myself help me know what to expect in the future. That explains why I get a funny, irksome feeling if I’m out of my routine.
Another habit though, is going to bed. I love sleep! But this habit of going to bed in particular is because of my best kitty, Faye. I know I’ve written about her too. She’s the one who is close to turning 19 and is madly in love with me. She has snuggled with me her whole life, but lately, it’s gotten more intense. It might be because she can only do it when I go to bed. She can’t come into the living room when I’m on the couch because of the dogs. They just get too excited around her and she’s old, can’t make a hasty exit if needed, her geriatric legs won’t let her.
So at night, when I get into bed, she gets as close to me as she possibly can. I always keep my left arm above the covers since that arm is on the inside/middle of the bed where she lays. She comes up and puts her front legs across my shoulder and puts her head on my chest. I wrap my arm around her and we lay like that until I fall asleep. Lately, I had been reading in bed. But she hates when I do that. It’s hard to snuggle if I have a book in my hand. So I’ve been going to bed and actually turning out the light so we can snuggle before I fall asleep. Me falling asleep is not a deterrent for her either, by the way. She stays with me all night. If I wake up, she’s still right there.
Sometimes I get irritated with her because she always wants me to face her. If I lay with my head facing away from her, she chews on my hair until I turn back around. She’ll also take her paw and touch my face repeatedly. I don’t know what that’s about. Last night she was licking my ear. It gets weird sometimes. I do stop her from those annoying ones though, just so you know. And while I do get irritated sometimes, I know I don’t have much time left with her. So while I still have her, I’m going to indulge her and let her snuggle with me however she wants. We share that nighttime habit. I think it brings us both joy.
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