I just want to be her.

Is there some woman you know that you just look at and think. . .dang.  I just want to BE.  HER.  I mean, her life looks so awesome.  She's gorgeous.  She always looks perfect.  I doubt she ever has to diet.  She's got the hottest man.  She has the best life.  Ever feel that little pang of jealousy?

Yeah.  I know.  I feel that way about someone, too.  She has no idea.  I mean, I would tell her but I really don't think she would understand.  If you've ever been to my house you know this girl I speak of. . .

Bootsy.

Just look at that darn cat.  Is she not freaking GORGEOUS?  I mean, this girl has it all, right?  First of all, she never lifts a paw around this place.  She spends most of the day just lounging around in different sunny spots looking meditative.  She lifts her head occasionally to watch me chase the kids or gets up and moves when I get out the vacuum, but otherwise. . .life of luxury.  All she has to do is meow and food gets delivered to her bowl.  I carry her around and let her drink from the sink, she sleeps at my feet all night so that I can't even extend my legs, and the kids just love on her all day long and obsess at her every move.  I don't think she's ever worried about a thing.  Plus, she spends a good 2-3 hours every evening after the kids go to bed snuggled up on MY man's lap.  And he's ALWAYS scratching her pretty little ears and telling her how beautiful she is.  What's up with that?

I know a lot of people feel this way.  Possibly not about their cat (although who wouldn't be jealous?), but about some other human being.  Maybe a celebrity, a family member, a friend, or just some girl you see at the park or grocery store.  It's an easy trap to fall into- looking at someone else and thinking you just don't measure up, or wishing you had something- real or imagined- that they have.  I guess at a time like this, it's good for me to call to mind the old adage "Don't compare your insides to someone else's outsides."  That girl may seem like they have it all or they have it all together, but on the inside she may be struggling more than I can imagine.  I mean, think of poor Boots.  She was abandoned by her own mother, and she never knew her father!  How sad.  I wonder if she ever thinks back to he lonely days in the animal shelter. . .I would have no idea how that feels.  We love her so much, but now that we have kids we only change her litterbox once a week and we always forget to trim her nails so she has to go around trying to find furniture to sharpen them on without getting scolded.  She suffers in silence.  She never gets to go outside and play with the other cats!!  She can NEVER HAVE children of her own!  Plus, as many times as Paul tells her how pretty she is, he also tells her she's stinky..  He never says that to me. (Thanks, honey :)

Wow, I just went from being jealous of her to feeling totally sorry for my baby girl!  I am going to go brush her right now, turn on the sink, then we'll sit by the window together and watch the birds.  Then, when Paul gets home, we'll both cuddle with him on the couch.  There's always enough love out there for all of us, right?

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

1 Corinthians 13:4