Karma Cat

John Guthrie

Oct 13, 2023 • 4 min read

Karma Cat always sits patiently next to my computer to remind me that no matter what inflammatory things I see on the internet, I can always choose the path of peace. Karma Cat never gets upset, which inspires me on my bad days when it seems that nothing is going right. I know it sounds silly, but Karma Cat is a big reason I have moved most of my writing here to the desk on my iMac, to have Karma Cat nearby to regulate me. Even for my health issues, I can always rely on Karma Cat to calm me if my blood sugar spikes or plummets suddenly.

I first met Karma Cat while scrolling through Amazon looking for a gift for Hal’s birthday. I found several small items that Hal loved, but Karma Cat seemed to be peacefully calling me from the computer screen. Karma Cat so enchanted me that I decided to treat myself and give Karma Cat a new home. When Karma Cat arrived, and I first saw him as I opened the packing, I knew I had made a wise choice. Karma Cat found a new home with me.

No matter how cluttered my desktop might get, there is always a space for Karma Cat. He seems to patently command a spot where he can be seen as if he knows that I need his influence every day. Even in the middle of the night, when I cannot sleep, I know that Karma Cat will be here patiently waiting to soothe me when I start writing to pass the time. When my one-sentence-at-a-time writing style frustrates me, I look at the calm face of Karma Cat, and things don’t seem so bad after all. Honestly, I place my hands on Karma Cat and instantly feel better about myself, even on a sleepless night.

Some people might call me crazy. I have been called much worse, and it took me so long to realize that their words only hurt me because I let them do it. I was not an emotionally strong person, and I needed to get rid of self-doubt, anxiety, and depression before I could make any progress. I have not told my therapist about Karma Cat, but she already said to me that things make us feel comfortable and at peace and that there is nothing wrong with them. Of course, one cannot rely on these talismans, for lack of a better word, to make decisions; they can help us calm and clear our racing minds to make a decision. This is what Karma Cat achieves for me.

The image of Radar O’Reilly with his teddy bear from the TV show MASH comes instantly to mind when I think about Karma Cat being my little shield against the insanity of the outside world. Only Hal, and now everyone who reads this, knows about Karma Cat, but I think it is essential to let others know that there are things that can help us through our busy days. Whether it is Karma Cat, Radar’s teddy bear, Linus’ security blanket, or something else, we all need something to help us now and then.

I watched an interview with Senator John Fetterman, and he eloquently spoke about depression and overall health. He made the point that we all need help at some point in our lives and that we should never turn away from each other; instead, we should turn toward each other and lend support. I can testify that depression and anxiety can really damage you physically, and you aren’t even aware until it is too late. The final message at the end of the interview was that we should never be afraid to ask for help. If that message reaches someone who needs it, I have done more than I ever expected to do.

I have avoided the news recently. The Middle East is in turmoil once again, and the drum beats of war grow louder. I don’t want to sound alarmist, and I know that is my suppressed anxiety trying to escape; it is at times like this that Karma Cat really helps me realize that there is a better way, even if most cannot see it. I’m reminded of lyrics to “Working Class Hero” by John Lennon when he sang, “Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV

And you think you're so clever and classless and free

But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see

A working-class hero is something to be

There's room at the top, they are telling you still

But first, you must learn how to smile as you kill

If you want to be like the folks on the hill

A working-class hero is something to be

“Working Class Hero” by John Lennon

No wonder we are all so fucked up most of the time. These lyrics hit home in a profound way. They come from a place of despair and a place of hope. Despair that things are so bad, and hope because he sees what most don’t. Karma Cat almost seems to smile when I play those lyrics, as if he shares some deep secret to life and the world. Whereas John Lennon said it with words and music, Karma Cat speaks with silence. Both are profound, and both are beautiful.

And so that is why Karma Cat is so important and unique to me. I know some people will find this whole story rather silly, so be it. Words only wound when you let them. As for me, I have discovered Happiness through Kindness, and Karma Cat is a significant part of my process. It works for me. Karma Cat calms me.