Baby Ais and the little cat

A street cat wandered onto the porch. Baby Ais was thrilled and went to grab its tail. Umi gently held her hand back: "Gently, love. The cat hurts too if you pull."

I held her little hand and taught her to stroke from head to back. Slowly. The cat stayed still, even purred. Baby Ais's eyes went wide — wow — amazed that gentleness produced something roughness couldn't.

Tenderness toward small creatures is the first rehearsal of tenderness toward people. A child who learns gentleness with a cat learns that strength isn't for hurting. That's a big lesson, arriving through cat fur.

The merciful are shown mercy by the Most Merciful. (Abu Dawud 4941, Tirmidhi 1924)

The cat left after a few minutes. But Baby Ais kept staring at her own hand, as if she'd discovered a new power: a gentle one.