If you have read my work for a while then you have likely met Pepper, the little cat who makes bad decisions. If this is your first meeting then let me introduce you to Pepper, the little cat who makes bad decisions:

We have two cats, both sweet and adored, one who is always chasing what she does not have, one who might prefer things another way but can find contentment where she is. For many years the cats were indoor/outdoor and since the coyotes have come closer and closer and become less and less afraid, the cats have come in. We have structured a balcony to allow them to safely be outside, and secured it so they might not be led into the temptation to escape. Or so we thought.

Last week Pepper, all seven and half pounds of her, ripped a wire from the railing and made a break for it. We didn’t miss her until the next evening and with no sign of presence and loud howling coyotes we were not hopeful. Days passed without a sign, and then on the sixth night she showed up in the middle of the night as though nothing had happened. We have re-secured the balcony.

Many years ago when my husband and I were in college we tutored a family visiting from Korea. Chris tutored Mr. C in English, I tutored the daughter who was nine or so. There was also a younger brother in the family, and Mrs. C. When the children did things that Mr. C did not approve of, or in observing the behavior of other young people that he disagreed with Mr. C would pronounce judgment as “fool boy,” or less often “fool girl.” Succinct but impactful and you knew what he meant. Chris and I kept hold of that declaration so just after I texted the picture of a recovered Pepper the response was, “fool cat.”

I know there is a beautiful world beyond the house, but there is also mortal danger, and in the house there are stairs and windows and plants and an ample balcony with cushions and a litter box and more plants. You would think it would be enough. Fool cat that does not appreciate what she has. I know it is not the nature of a cat to be content, to play with a toy instead of a mouse, and yet this is not an animal that has ever had to live by her nature. She has always been provided for, protected, nourished, loved.

As she draped herself across my shoulder in bed last night, purring and kneading, and seemingly quite happy to be snuggling I thought about my own fool tendencies, and really all of our fool tendencies to chase after those things that look so much better than what is right in front of us, to spend our time on things that don’t last and lose the preciousness of being right where we are.

In Exodus, after the Israelites have left Egypt they complain about the conditions and long for the certainty they knew even in slavery. So God responds saying, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day [you] shall go out and gather enough for that day.” This is not just a lesson about provision, it is also a lesson about knowing what we have, not being fools chasing more when we can’t use it or appreciate it: “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘gather as much of it as each of you needs…all providing for those in their own tents…’ And Moses said to them, ‘Let no one leave any of it over until morning.’ But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul.” -Exodus 16: 4, 16-20 excerpted (NRSV).

We live in a world that tells us that whatever we have is not enough, that if we are happy with our lives we are not striving or growing, that we need to leave a lot over until morning lest we be hungry. But as we gather and gather and seek and seek what we have rots: the moments of our lives, the noticing of a flower or a sunset or laughter is not seen or experienced. Time can rot just like manna. Love can rot, friendship can rot. Yes we have to go out and gather everyday, but as we gather we need to remember that we are being provided for, nourished, protected, loved. Yes we have to gather for those who can not, for those we find in our “tent” who we are called to care for, and we need to be careful that we are gathering enough of the right things, not so much that we surround ourselves with rot.

I don’t think that I am going to explain this to Pepper, or that she is going to come to the conclusion that it is foolish to go chasing more excitement beyond the house. But I think that she has done a good job of explaining this to me, so that maybe I can remember as I agitate for more it is a Fool Maggie who goes gathering more than I need and that misses the fullness of today.

And just in case you were curious, this is Clementine: