Rainy day in the kitten shed

I took a break from grading exams this afternoon and instead spent an hour in the kitten shed taking shelter from a heavy rain and appreciating the simplicity of the experience.

Several of the hungry babies charged my lap trying to latch onto the bottle in my hand. I held one against my chest for a little while after he ate. He reached for a strand of my hair, his round, blue eyes wide with fascination. I stared into those eyes for a long time while the rain spattered the roof above me.

Once the kittens' bellies were full, eight of them fell asleep in my lap. I thought for a second that I might drift off, too, as I fell under their spell.

One little marmie kicked in her sleep. One of the sleeping tigers slowly stuck his tiny tongue in and out of his mouth. I don't know if he was dreaming about eating or bathing. Another stretched, wimpered, and pressed a paw against the face of another.

I left the kitten shed unwillingly--those final exams weren't grading themselves. As I drove away, it occurred to me that those moments with the kittens were the first in months that I had sat in silence and really listened to the what the silence had to say.

I'm really glad I went to the shed today.