Hammi
the Norwegian Forest Cat
the Norwegian Forest Cat
Pets as Gifts from God
Every evening I try to spend an hour or so in the library, sitting in front of the fire place. Our beloved Norwegian Forest Cat, Hammi, sleeps in the library/community room every night. Hammi is most happy when the entire monastic brotherhood is gathered together with him. He's an important member of our community, loved by all of us, and is the only cat I know who has his own facebook fan page, started by a woman who'd met him on a pilgrimage to the monastery (if my memory be correct).
I first met Hammi, a large male cat, as I was walking between our old trailer house (now gone) and my cell, some eleven years ago. We startled one another, but as I reached down with extended hand, he came to me. When I picked him up he began purring immediately, so I opened a can of salmon, and he never left. A month after his arrival we took him to a vet to be checked out. It was the veterinarian who suggested he'd most likely been dumped by someone from Seattle, as happens frequently when people want to dispose of a pet, and make sure the animal can't find it's way back home (impossible from an island).
I often tell people that Hammi domesticated me, since I'd not previously been a cat fancier, being allergic to cat dander. Little did I know at the beginning that Norwegian Forest Cats do not have dander. They have a very soft double fur coat, large paws, sweet facial features and a very loud purr box. They are known to be personable, liking to be around people. He greets everyone who comes to the monastery, escorting them up the steps from the parking lot. Everyone who's ever met Hammi, falls in love. I've lost count of the number of people who've stated they don't like cats, but want to get a Norwegian Forest Cat for themselves, once they've met him.
Intelligent breed that they are, Hammi has learned to let us know just what he wants, be it water, food, cuddling, sleep, whatever. He is a great companion to all of us, even going into the forest when one of us takes a walk on the Valaam Trail. He has a special game which he seems to enjoy with me, particularly. I'll head out on the trail with Hammi running ahead. He'll hide behind a large fern, and even though I know he's waiting ahead, he always manages to scare me. I'll then run ahead and hide behind a tree and jump out when he walks by. We play this game until the end of the trail!
He's slowing down a bit with age, just as am I. We both suffer from arthritis and like to sit by the fire on a cold winter evening, with him cuddling in the lap of the old abbot. I've grown so attached to him that I can't even begin to think of what life in the monastery will be like after he's gone.
Animals teach us so much about life, and about unconditional love. I'll never forget the day Hammi spotted our newly arrived Rhode Island Reds for the first time. I was sitting on the veranda of the trapeza with some guests. Hammi sat up when he spotted the hens, and started walking toward the Saint John Chapel. I followed him, as did our guests. When we were standing by the hens, Hammi crouched down, ready for the kill. All that was needed was for me to say, "No, Hammi, they are our friends". He turned away and walked back to the veranda, leaving me and the guests alone with the chickens. He's never bothered them since.
Although I'd grown up with dogs and cats, they'd not been in my life throughout my adulthood, until Hammi came around. I'm so very glad he did.
I first met Hammi, a large male cat, as I was walking between our old trailer house (now gone) and my cell, some eleven years ago. We startled one another, but as I reached down with extended hand, he came to me. When I picked him up he began purring immediately, so I opened a can of salmon, and he never left. A month after his arrival we took him to a vet to be checked out. It was the veterinarian who suggested he'd most likely been dumped by someone from Seattle, as happens frequently when people want to dispose of a pet, and make sure the animal can't find it's way back home (impossible from an island).
I often tell people that Hammi domesticated me, since I'd not previously been a cat fancier, being allergic to cat dander. Little did I know at the beginning that Norwegian Forest Cats do not have dander. They have a very soft double fur coat, large paws, sweet facial features and a very loud purr box. They are known to be personable, liking to be around people. He greets everyone who comes to the monastery, escorting them up the steps from the parking lot. Everyone who's ever met Hammi, falls in love. I've lost count of the number of people who've stated they don't like cats, but want to get a Norwegian Forest Cat for themselves, once they've met him.
Intelligent breed that they are, Hammi has learned to let us know just what he wants, be it water, food, cuddling, sleep, whatever. He is a great companion to all of us, even going into the forest when one of us takes a walk on the Valaam Trail. He has a special game which he seems to enjoy with me, particularly. I'll head out on the trail with Hammi running ahead. He'll hide behind a large fern, and even though I know he's waiting ahead, he always manages to scare me. I'll then run ahead and hide behind a tree and jump out when he walks by. We play this game until the end of the trail!
He's slowing down a bit with age, just as am I. We both suffer from arthritis and like to sit by the fire on a cold winter evening, with him cuddling in the lap of the old abbot. I've grown so attached to him that I can't even begin to think of what life in the monastery will be like after he's gone.
Animals teach us so much about life, and about unconditional love. I'll never forget the day Hammi spotted our newly arrived Rhode Island Reds for the first time. I was sitting on the veranda of the trapeza with some guests. Hammi sat up when he spotted the hens, and started walking toward the Saint John Chapel. I followed him, as did our guests. When we were standing by the hens, Hammi crouched down, ready for the kill. All that was needed was for me to say, "No, Hammi, they are our friends". He turned away and walked back to the veranda, leaving me and the guests alone with the chickens. He's never bothered them since.
Although I'd grown up with dogs and cats, they'd not been in my life throughout my adulthood, until Hammi came around. I'm so very glad he did.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Thursday December 15, 2011 / December 2, 2011
27th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Nativity Fast. Fish Allowed
Prophet Habakkuk (Abbacum) (7th c. B.C.).
New Hieromartyr John priest (1919).
New Hieromartyr Mathew priest (1921).
New Hieromartyr Demetrius priest and Venarable Vera confessor (1932).
New Hieromartyrs Constantine, Nicholas, Sergius, Vladimir, John, Theodore, Nicholas, John, Nicholas priests, Hieromartyr Danact, Cosmas,, Woman Hieromartyrs Theuromia, Tamara, Antonina, and Mary; and Virgin-martyrs Mary and Matrona (1937).
Virgin-martyr Mary (1938).
Martyr Boris (1942).
Venerable Athanasius "the Resurrected," recluse of the Kiev Caves, whose relics are in the Near Caves (1176).
Venerable Athanasius, recluse of the Kiev Caves whose relics are in the Far Caves (13th c.).
Martyr Myrope of Chios (251).
Venerables John, Heraclemon, Andrew, and Theophilus of Egypt (4th c.).
Venerable Jesse (Ise), bishop of Tsilkani in Georgia (6th c.) (Georgia).
St. Stephen-Urosh IV, king (1371), and St. Helen of Serbia..
St. Solomon, archbishop of Ephesus.
Venerable Cyril of Philea (1110).
Venerable Ioannicius, monk of Devich (1430) (Greek).
St. Abibus the New (Greek).
27th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Nativity Fast. Fish Allowed
Prophet Habakkuk (Abbacum) (7th c. B.C.).
New Hieromartyr John priest (1919).
New Hieromartyr Mathew priest (1921).
New Hieromartyr Demetrius priest and Venarable Vera confessor (1932).
New Hieromartyrs Constantine, Nicholas, Sergius, Vladimir, John, Theodore, Nicholas, John, Nicholas priests, Hieromartyr Danact, Cosmas,, Woman Hieromartyrs Theuromia, Tamara, Antonina, and Mary; and Virgin-martyrs Mary and Matrona (1937).
Virgin-martyr Mary (1938).
Martyr Boris (1942).
Venerable Athanasius "the Resurrected," recluse of the Kiev Caves, whose relics are in the Near Caves (1176).
Venerable Athanasius, recluse of the Kiev Caves whose relics are in the Far Caves (13th c.).
Martyr Myrope of Chios (251).
Venerables John, Heraclemon, Andrew, and Theophilus of Egypt (4th c.).
Venerable Jesse (Ise), bishop of Tsilkani in Georgia (6th c.) (Georgia).
St. Stephen-Urosh IV, king (1371), and St. Helen of Serbia..
St. Solomon, archbishop of Ephesus.
Venerable Cyril of Philea (1110).
Venerable Ioannicius, monk of Devich (1430) (Greek).
St. Abibus the New (Greek).
You can make donations directly to the monastery through PayPal, or you may send donations to:
All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA
1 Timothy 6:17-21
Instructions to the Rich17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Guard the Faith
20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— 21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.Grace be with you. Amen.
Luke 20:9-18
The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers
9 Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. 10 Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.’ 14 But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others.”
And when they heard it they said, “Certainly not!”
17 Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
‘ The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone’?
18 Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
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The PodCast is always different than the blog article.
Thank you for another beautiful post about Hammi. He is well-loved in our household! We had a beloved Maine Coon cat for 11 years; the breed is descended from Norwegian Forest cats brought to New England on ships and has the same loving personality you describe in Hammi. We still miss him dreadfully. Enjoy every minute with Hammi.
ReplyDeleteI have saved the Hammi pictures into a little album on my computer. Yes indeed, pets are a good gift from our good God. My cat is 17; she definitely has a personality, too.
ReplyDeleteDana
How did Hammi get his name?
ReplyDeleteLinda