Heartfelt Counsel

The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.

A WAVE OF PANIC rushed over Cindy as she merged onto the interstate heading east out of Colorado—away from the state she had called home for seven years and the secure teaching job she had held since finishing grad school. What am I doing? she thought as she steered her small Mitsubishi Eclipse, packed full of boxes and suitcases, into the middle lane of traffic—squeezed between a large SUV and an even larger semitruck. Is this a rash decision?

Meeooww!

Cindy’s one-year-old cat, Guinevere, had not stopped crying since being unceremoniously placed into a brand-new cat carrier and secured into the passenger seat.

“I know, sweetie. I know. This is scary for you,” Cindy said, keeping her voice soothing. “For whatever it’s worth, it’s scary for me, too.”

Still, Guinevere continued to cry, sounding more pitiful with each mile.

“I promise to let you out of this soon. Just let me get through Denver, okay?” Cindy placed her right hand against the front of the carrier. “Then it’s wide-open road, and maybe you can come out.”

The bumper-to-bumper traffic gave Cindy plenty of time to reflect out loud. She was glad that someone was there to listen.

“Gwen, I had a good job. Sure, I wasn’t happy . . .” Guinevere responded with a low groan that gave Cindy pause. “Okay, okay, you’re right. I was miserable. But it was a job with a steady paycheck. And I just walked away from it to pursue this crazy idea of getting into publishing. Who does that? And what if it doesn’t work? What if this job at the newspaper isn’t the step into publishing I think it could be? What if I end up being stuck as an entry-level beat reporter forever? What if I have to start sharing your Fancy Feast meals? What if . . .”

Wrraaoo.

Cindy was startled by the primal sound erupting from her cat and nearly swerved into the other lane. Gwen had never done that before. Once again, Cindy reached over and put her hand on the carrier to try to comfort her companion. As she glanced in the rearview mirror, she realized how far they had come.

“Well, look at that,” she said in surprise. “We made it through Denver. Okay, Gwennie, I’m going to open the carrier. But don’t freak me out. If you jump on the floor by my feet and the car pedals, we could get in an accident.”

Guinevere shot out of the carrier the moment the latch was released and curled up in Cindy’s lap. Cindy stroked her gently and continued to assure her trembling cat.

“Gwen, this is going to be an adventure for us. You’re going to love the Midwest, I promise. It’s where I grew up, and it’s the best. You’re going to be surrounded by so many people who love you.”

Guinevere’s trembling diminished to a slight quiver.

Cindy continued, “And wait till you see the colors in the fall. Yes, the aspens in Colorado are pretty, but where we’re going the trees turn red, purple, orange, and yellow. It’s incredible! And oh!” she shouted in excitement, causing Guinevere to jump. “Sorry, baby, but I just thought about your goopy eye. Remember how the vet said your eye would do better with more humidity? Well, guess what our destination has lots of? Humidity! I bet your eye is going to feel so much better!”

Cindy felt Guinevere calm down with a resonant purr.

“We are going to get to play together, and Mommy will pursue her dream job. Everything will work out.”

Realistically, Cindy knew there would be difficult days ahead, and she still felt a little anxious about all the unknowns. But the more she talked to Guinevere, the more she began to believe her own words.

Fourteen hours later, Cindy pulled into her parents’ driveway—exhausted from the long trip and yet at peace with her decision.

Holding Guinevere tightly in her arms, she walked to the front door. “No matter what the future holds, you and I are going to be just fine.”

PAWS & PONDER . . .

Why do you think Cindy’s anxieties about her move were eased the more she talked to Guinevere? To whom do you turn when you need to talk things over or receive heartfelt counsel? What is some of the best counsel or advice you have ever been given? What made that counsel “sweet as perfume and incense”?

Paws & Pray

Father, thank you for being my wonderful Counselor and for always being there for me. Thank you for the people you have placed in my life who speak loving truth to me. Please give me a passion for your Word so I can be a person who is willing and able to give wise and heartfelt counsel to others.