For those of you that have heard of James Bowen, you’ve probably gotten a read on “A Street Cat Named Bob”. In the last year or so, the movie rendition of the true story has garnered a lot of attention across the international scene. If any of you are looking for a good read or an excellent movie to catch on your downtime during the summer, I am encouraging you to check out either or both. Here is an excerpt from the author himself:
“Having Bob there gave me a chance to interact with people. They would ask about Bob and I would get a chance to explain my situation at the same time. They would ask where he came from and I’d then be able to explain how we got together and how we were making money to pay our rent, food, electricity and gas bills. People would give me more of a fair hearing. Psychologically, people also began to see me in a different light. Cats are notoriously picky about who they like. And if a cat doesn’t like its owner it will go and find another one. Cats do that all the time. They go and live with somebody else. Seeing me with my cat softened me in their eyes. It humanised me. Especially after I’d been so dehumanised. In some ways it was giving me back my identity. I had been a non-person; I was becoming a person again.” (James Bowen)
Given that we live in a society that determines the amount of humanity we deserve based on the status that others perceive in us, it is extremely easy to be dehumanized as someone who doesn’t fit the mold of a high-value person. This movie has been the perfect reminder that it is impossible to fully empathize with any soul but what we can do is attempt to walk two moons in someone’s shoes before we begin thinking degrading thoughts towards another person.
As for those that are on the other side of the looking glass, the movie ends with this quote. “Everyone gets a second chance, but not everyone manages to take them”. No matter what your circumstances are, no matter what demons you are fighting, no matter if it’s a broken heart, an addiction, self-harm, whatever it may be, I promise you that your second chance is out there. Seize the moment. Here, lies your chance.