You don´t say.  That´s really interesting Mr Midnight.
      I know.  I thought the same.  I only found out because of the chin-wag I had last night with Mr Dog.  He told me that humans call it a “tradition” and I must admit, I do like sitting on the prickly bale of hay infront of Mr Dogs house, taking-in  the odours of the edibles.
By the way Sir Winston, Mr Dog didn´t exactly explain what this “tradition” thing is.
      This particular human tradition is called “thanks-giving” or “harvest festival”  and humans will often symbolically decorate their houses with autumn vegetables as a  way of saying  thank you for the grub received.   I believe it is also called  “Lammas”; meaning “loaf-Mass”.  I might be wrong though.  🙂

However, thanks-giving does not only have symbolic character – humans are also supposed to be  “thankful” for their “lot in life” and are expected to donate food to charitable causes.  It´s the human way of saying “thank-you”.
     Donate food once a year?  That´s a bit mean isn´t it. Are modern humans only thankful once a year?
      No, of course not.  It´s just a way for them to show  gratitude.
      And what is “tradition”?

We cats obviously do not need  such festivities – probably because we live in the moment and are instinctively thankful for everyday.
      Tradition is a human thing Mr Midnight.  It´s a passing of beliefs and customs from one generation to the next.  Traditions are a regular occurence in the life of  a human-being.
      Daddy feeds us on a regular basis – night and day.  Is this also a tradition? I strongly believe in him doing it.  It makes me feel happy.  🙂
       I don´t think that you can call regular  feeding habits  a tradition Mr Midnight.  Eating on a daily basis is more of a necessary routine than anything else.
Traditions are more like a rock with which to find stability – something familiar which aids give security in an otherwise, uncertain world. Animals don´t need customs and traditions because when left to our own devices, we live in harmony with the universe.

Tradition helps ward off fears, and as most of the animal kingdom are aware, the human race lives  in a constant state of fear.  It´s probably one of the  reasons why traditions are so important for humans.
      Wow.  Poor humans. They must be terrified.  What  stressful lives they lead.
The other day I watched 5 people climb into one of those small, smelly moving things.  A motor-car is the term I think.  They all  sat neatly, miserably squashed up together, and  looked rather uncomfortable.  Observed from the freedom and comfort of my place under the hedge, I thought to myself;  it´s a shame how they coop up those humans.

Modern humans evidently need to experience stressy lifestyles.
      It certainly looks that way. Humans are very perculiar and most of the time they appear slightly barmy, but it is the path most of them choose to experience.
      Modern humans also believe that they are open-minded. I´ve often heard this muttered among humans  but I find it difficult to believe myself.
      I think the majority of modern human beings really do  believe that they are open-minded.  It´s just a shame that reality  dictates  a different picture.

      Well,  the  animal kingdom is aware that humans are masters at avoiding reality.   😉
      As a rule, humans will conveniently, disbelieve  things that do not fit into the framework of what they have been lead to believe as to  being the truth.  Contradicting beliefs are often dismissed as humbug.  Human open-mindedness doesn´t seem to stretch as far as for  wanting to go with the flow of life  and of accepting “change”.
      That´s quite convenient isn´t it.

By the way;  although very hard to swallow  and  bad for my teeth – I`m actually  quite partial to  humbugs.  🙂

      You shouldn´t eat daddy´s sweeties.  If he catches you,  you´ll cop it.!
      He´ll have to catch me first!  🙂

Let´s get back to the topic of conversation, I´m still a little puzzled as to why  humans make such a fuss  about  traditions.  Sending a can of maize to a church festival as a gesture of gratitude once a year, will not really change the world will it – apart from making one remember to be thankful that week.

I´m totally baffled.  Believing to be open-minded and at the same time,  stuck in the times of the past.
What other traditions or major beliefs  do modern humans adhere to  Sir Winston?
      They believe in their Gods and prophets,  for example, Christians celebrate Christmas  and Easter.

Modern society is also obsessed with its belief that the planet can ONLY be ruled by money. Humans are of the opinion that the stuff is the sole solution to solving  OUR planets problems.   As you and I are aware Mr Midnight, the soul solution shines from within.     🙂

Many human beings are incapable of stepping out of their conveniency and are thus,  totally switched-off from their environment.

To top it all – the majority are also of the strong belief that  as you get older, you automatically become ill.
      But Mr Dog informed me that Easter most probably had  Pagan roots  and was a celebration of the spring equinox  – you know,  the fertility festival. hence the eggs and everything.  He should know, he´s very knowledgeable about such things.

As for me – I´ve no idea.

Mr Dog also told me that a guy named  Jesus was killed by occupying forces and then the next minute, he had managed to get  out of bed a couple of days later.  I think Mr Dog´s telling tall stories because I thought that Christian humans  didn´t believe in “life-after-death”.  Humans certainly have puzzling traditions – at least for cats to get to grips with.
       That´s exactly the point Mr Midnight; as I´ve mentioned so many times before – nobody really knows what happens.  Many modern human beliefs are fabricated from what others had thought to have been the truth.
The christmas festival is celebrated because of  the birth of Jesus, bless him.  He was obviously so  popular with the crowds  that those in power feared for their positions and had to have him removed – hence the Easter celebration.
       Not much difference to present day antics then. If someone has some positive influence upon society, he , or she, is often “removed” from their position.
So humans do not believe in the powers of the universe and  the importance of living in harmony?

       Usually, they dismiss thoughts of “other life sources and possibilities” and believe that money can solve our planets problems. They would much sooner support pharmaceutical companies in their search for freedom of pain and illness and most are of the belief that THEIR religion is the only true religion.
       So much for being  open-minded.
       Actually, it is  all rather pathetic.
You see, if understood properly and not taken too seriously, traditions and customs can be very helpful and benefit a society.  However, at the same time, they can also narrow perceptiveness towards other input.  One remains stuck in the tracks of ones “programming”.
If one was truly open-minded, one would need  to  constantly put an awful lot of time and effort into things –  and that is something that most humans are evidently, not wanting to do.
      Well I´ve heard enough for today thank-you very much.

I think I´m going to go downstairs  to eat a food stick.  This “tradition” stuff seems to have given me an appetite.  I think I´ll take care of MY tradition and head-off into the cellar to see what I can find. Daddy usually arrrives home when the sun is at its highest.
See you around Sir Winston.