A 2020 Holiday Greeting With A Cat and Muse
Channel: Cat Wilson
Date: 2020-12-02

This is a special holiday treat for Cat Wilson's friends and family. A poem. A story with a silver lining. A year of 2020. Have a Joyful Holiday and a Happy New Year!
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A Story About Cat's Year - A Holiday Letter

Happy Holidays!  I sat down patiently waiting for my tire to be repaired, meaning to eloquently write you an endearing uplifting holiday letter, when a crazy creative Muse grabbed my pen. This is where it all begins.  

A mischievous muse grabs my pen,
by the window where I write.
She wants me to share 2020.
Okay! Hold on tight!

It’s been a year and more,
You still are in my heart,
You, folks I like, love, and adore.
Even though we are apart.

Wherever you are now,
Take a sit down,
for a pow wow,
with your puppy, kitty, bird, or a Wooky*,
and a cup of love with a cookie.

Here is 2020’s year.
One we all share.
Commonalities ... fatalities,
silver linings … here or there.

In January, we joyfully opened training.
Oregon clouds ordered in raining.
Students met us at the door,
touching hands, hugging! 
Ready to learn more.

February rolled in accordingly
our plan in place.
Confident we were in control
of our space.

March came to a halt!
Orders to quarantine mask up!
Give space.
Time to change our pace. 
Don’t go out!
Be ready! 
Stock up!

Sit still, be calm.

April took a toll.
Lives of family and friends stilled.
Soon the news filled
with sickness and polls.
Never had we seen
such tragedy around the world.
People became mean.
Politics got dirty and bold.

By May we changed our dance.
No longer together did we prance.
We all went online ... all the time.
And took a new stance.

No vacation.
Staycation.
Order out, not dine in.
Heads did spin!

In June we got hopeful
Doctors in the world all cavorted,
worked together for a cure,
so we’d all be supported.

Sit still, be calm.

July fireworks popped
we still huddled inside.
Some businesses flopped.
Yet, we believed we would survive!

August got rough… fires, 
storms and strife.
We prayed for folks with embers of hope,
for disasters to turn,
soothing fears and tears of life.

September got hot in Portland.
Black lives, women, people matter!
Give up? We would not!
Masking was often a fight.
Protesting happened every night.
The cities did shatter.

October gave way to seasons,
changing colors for all her reasons.
New leaders stepped up to make way,
so inside we needn’t continue to stay.

Come November we cast a vote to shift.
All could respect.
Turbulent changes would surely happen.
But doors could open to compassion.

It’s December, vaccines are promised.
Now we all wear a mask.
A new world will awaken,
and 2020 will be in the past.

The fires are gone,
The clouds brought rain.
We look for silver linings. 
to ease our pain.

Before the scene changes remember
You are more than you know
Through each challenge you face
You grow. 

Sit still, be calm.

Life is music ...
So listen … be in the moment. 
Pace yourself. 
Love with your all.
Let your spirit grow tall!

The silver lining is we’re still here.
You can eat, sing, and celebrate,
get a tree you can decorate,
and dance!
Time to let go of the bad trance.

Now it’s Christmas.
Look!  Sandy Claws!
P.S.  
The muse went to “your” house!

Joyful Holidays & Happy New Year!
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* Wooky - In the Cat Wilson Dictionary, my daughter Cynthia used to call her favorite stuffed animal "Wooky."  This term can also apply to your favorite pillow or blanket or hat.
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If you wonder how this little ditty was created, here is the information. First get in your mind that I could have spent more than 10 hours, and perfected it, to which I have lots of ideas, but in order to get it out by December I did it imperfectly perfect. 

To make this video: Cat Wilson wrote the poem with a pen and notebook while waiting for her car tire to be repaired. The poem was dictated into Notes on an iPad, and created into a story using Canva. Music on this video was performed by Allison Marino-Luckow of Ben Lomond, California. Scott Yeager provided assistance in listening to first version and making helpful suggestions. The video was recorded on Zoom on December 1, 2020. 
Warmest Holiday Wishes and Happy New Year! -  Cat Wilson of Portland, Oregon.