I nearly took my frustration out on the cat for existing too close to my ankles

Dear Delyara, The cat was doing nothing except moving in the irritating, uncertain way cats do when you’re carrying a plate and trying not to drop it. I could feel the irritation rise out of all proportion to the actual situation and thought, no, this is not about the cat. That moment saved me, I think. There are days when self-awareness arrives just early enough to stop you from becoming unfair. Not lovely, not wise, just early enough. Yesterday I got the plate onto the side, took one breath, and left the room instead of speaking sharply to a creature who had absolutely no role in my emotional condition. Sometimes that is the victory hidden inside the diary.