The Art of Purring (The Dalai Lama's Cat 2)
After Sam had finished explaining—with much greater authority than he had explained things in the past—Lobsang said, “So for you, your V—voluntary activity—is helping students get jobs?”
Sam nodded. “Exactly.”
“We’ve already had one company say they’ll take our top three students,” said Bronnie.
“This is a marvelous example!” Lobsang said, clapping his hands together in delight. “What I like is that by benefiting others, you”—he gestured to Sam and Bronnie as a couple—“have benefited, too! I know a verse that seems relevant. It’s about work becoming love made visible.”
He began to recite:
“It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart,
Even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.
It is to build a house with affection,
Even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.
It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy,
Even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.”
“That’s really beautiful, Lobsang,” Serena said, gazing at him with affection. “Milarepa?” she asked, citing a Buddhist sage famous for his verse.
Lobsang shook his head. “Kahlil Gibran. I love his poetry.” A faraway look came into his eyes as he contemplated the transcendent words he had just quoted.
“He’s a favorite of mine, too,” agreed Sam. “An interesting choice for a Buddhist monk.” Responding to the inquiring expressions around the table, he added, “A lot of Gibran’s work is romantic, sensual.”
“Yes,” Lobsang mused. After a pause, he said, “Sometimes I lose myself in his poetry and forget that I am a this or a that. By the end I am thinking that perhaps being a monk is not necessary.”
His words came as an unexpected admission. For the first time he seemed curiously vulnerable.
Serena reached out and squeezed his hand.
From her lap, I looked up at Lobsang and began to purr.
Yes, dear reader, that’s the other reason we cats purr. Arguably, it’s the most important reason: to make you happy. Purring is our V—our way of reminding you that you are loved and special, and that you should never forget how we feel about you, especially when you’re vulnerable.
What’s more, purring is our way of ensuring your good health. Studies show that having a feline companion reduces stress and lowers the blood pressure of humans. Cat owners are significantly less likely to have heart attacks than people who live in a catless world. If you like, you may call this the science of purring. While science and art don’t always seem to have much to do with each other, in this case they converge in the most life-enhancing way.
As I sat on Serena’s lap, my purr growing, I remembered the words of Kahlil Gibran. Had the great poet ever had a feline companion? I wondered. If so, what would he have written about the most important reason that cats purr? Could it have been something along the following lines?
It is to heal the body, soothe the mind, and give joy to the heart,
Because it is your beloved’s lap that you are sitting on.
CHAPTER SIX
I was woken from my postlunch siesta by a familiar voice and its usual accompaniment, the percussive sound of a dozen clanging bracelets. Mrs. Trinci was visiting the café with some exhilarating news: “He’s come out of retreat!”
She and Serena were standing just a short distance away from me, beside the magazine rack.
“After ten years?” Serena’s expression was a mix of astonishment and delight.
“Twelve,” her mother corrected her.
“Last time I saw him was”—Serena glanced upward, trying to work it out—“before I went to Europe.?
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