Intend Well

It had been a steaming hot summer in Oklahoma, but it would soon be followed by a cold, snowy winter. The mice were unusually busy on The Ranch. We decided to get a “barn cat” to help out with the mice. That seems like an ordinary idea to anyone living in the country. However, for us, the idea of making a cat sleep in the barn defies our bent for totally spoiling all our animals. However, we bucked up and firmly planted our intention upon getting a barn cat to deal with the mice.

The want ads listed two locations for free kittens. We arranged to see both litters. Stop one brought us into direct contact with three of the cutest little black kittens on earth. We couldn’t decide, so took all three. The next stop again connected us with three of the cutest little red kittens on earth. Again, we couldn’t decide and took all three. We arrived back at The Ranch with six little kittens ready to take up residence in the barn.

Our plan seemed immediately foiled when we realized that these little ones would have to endure the bitter winter in the barn. It was with some degree of guilt that we prepared their winter bed, put out food and water and played with them for hours. Then we left them in the barn and went to bed.

We were awakened early the next morning with yowling like none other. We raced to the barn to discover dead kittens scattered everywhere. The one little red kitten who survived came screaming across the yard dragging his back leg. We were horrified. Our young pit bull had found those “strangers” in the barn and proceeded to get rid of them. She got to wear a dead kitten wired to her collar for three days, just long enough to learn never to repeat such an act. Over her 14 years, she never again dared look at a cat.

By now we were sorely aware that we had gotten way off base from our intent. First of all, the kittens would take a year or more to develop an interest in mice. Secondly, our excess of six versus one came back to haunt us. We intended to get one cat. We ended up with one kitten. The surviving red kitten quickly got named “Lion” and was brought inside to heal. He stayed there all winter.

In late spring, we neutered Lion, who was by now quite spoiled. It would be impossible to describe the look on his face over the whole process. He simply couldn’t believe that such a regal being as he had been forced to endure such a process. He took off for a couple of days to protest. Then three, then five, then a week, then two. Soon Lion was gone, only to be sighted every month or so. He would show himself from a distance and let us know that he was still around, but took on all the traits of a truly wild lion. This went on for seven years.

In the eighth year, as the severe winter winds blew in again, Lion began to come closer and yowl and invite our attention. We put food out for him and gradually moved it closer to the barn. It took a full two weeks to coax him into the barn to eat and live. It took another four months to actually touch him.

Today I begin my day by feeding our horses, llama, and donkeys. Then I carry fresh water and food to Lion in the barn where I climb up on the hay to his nest. There we cuddle and purr and pray together. Many years ago, we set an intent to have a barn cat to help with the mice. It took almost eight years to see that intent fulfilled. Not a day goes by without Lion and I setting intents together, because he is my strongest teacher of this profound spiritual truth.

Intent is everything. An intent set is a seed planted that will bear harvest in spite of our distractions and detours. The sages of all time know this thing:

Intend well. Project intention into that place that serves divine will and always ask that all be served in the highest possible way.