Learning to let go

I just realized that in combination with this picture of Thom at the vet, the blog title might seem quite dire...that's not the case.  At least I don't think so.

But I will start with the vet story.  I took the terrible twosome in for their annual oil change/tire rotation yesterday - something I dread for two reasons: it is very stressful for them, and financially stressful for me (I won't say how much it costs, but suffice it to say I could be supporting two children in a third world country for a year for less).
Vet trips are big productions - the catching (admittedly with Thomas, this part isn't that hard - he tends to hide ON things, bright spark that he is), the yowling trip to the vet, and Maggie's channeling of Freddie Kruger/rabid mountain lion as soon as the vet even looks at her don't make for a fun time.  And I don't blame Mags for protesting - there are needles (in the bladder as well - ugh) and other nastiness, including the most dreaded part of all - The Nail Trim, which Maggie seems to equate with the amputation of a limb.  It's equally terrifying for Thomas, but he just shuts down - the vet could wrap him in bandages and hang him upside down by his tail and he wouldn't complain.  But it doesn't mean he's enjoying himself.

So - it's stressful.  And I'm the one that brought them, so I should be The Enemy.

But as soon as we get home, and they are out of their cages, life immediately returns to normal.  They wander around surveying their world as per usual, even walking calmly back into the dreaded transport crates on their own, completely unphased by their recent trauma.  I'm not held accountable (at least I don't think so).  Cat-life goes on as normal.  Whatever horrors just happened, it seems like they've just let them go.

I had a difficult day at work Friday.  I'm not going into the details - it's a combination of the landscape changing in a way that I'm not looking forward to, a reminder that the "you can lead a horse to water" proverb is frustratingly true, and a few other disappointments and frustrations.   I've been carrying it around with me all weekend, but looking over at Thomas snoozing happily on the couch, I realize I've just got to let it go.

These are things that are out of my control.

Just let 'em go.