Buddha

In a well-worn spot, on the west side of an evergreen, sat Buddha kitty.  His squinting eyes and cherubic face were as much a reaction to spring's sunny return as they were an expression of his fluffy enlightenment.

With a well-manicured coat and a bulbous body, Buddha kitty was blessed with loving providers.  We yearned to run our fingers through his velvety chub.  But a dense crop of ivy made approaching him impossible, and our affectionate calls didn't entice him any closer to us.  Buddha kitty's message was clear.  You do not approach enlightenment or summon it to you; you either are the Buddha or you are not.