The cat on the deck had established his kingdom with a throne and a servant girl (a.k.a. Ms. Natalie) to provide fresh food at water on at least a daily basis. He had all he needed.
He had found comfort and he was staying close. He showed no indication that he planned to move on soon. It appeared the cat on the deck had become a permanent resident.
After a week or so of hanging close, he began to venture away from his throne. First, he would wander across the deck to find a spot in the sun. Or, perhaps it was a perch on the deck rail that provided him a survey of the back yard.
He always came back to find that a daily ration of food and fresh water were their waiting for him. He found security. And, he found that he didn’t need to stay there to ensure that it would always be there. In his security, he found that he could go away and the things he cherished would still be there when he returned.
Lesson #3 from the cat on the deck:
When you find security, you have freedom to roam without fear of losing the things close to you.
