Story: Perseverance

Unexpectedly, Topito the cat had fallen in love with Agatha the cat, who lived across the street from his house. Whenever they rested by the window, they could see each other. However, Agatha had not noticed his presence, despite him being a large, splendidly white cat with light green eyes. He was very gentle, tender, a bit shy—in short, he was beautiful, a true cat prince. When visitors came to the house, he would run fearfully to hide and never let anyone touch him for anything in the world. He was a sleepy and very food-loving cat, but only for kibble, as he didn’t like hunting or eating animals. He enjoyed the company of an adult while eating, especially when he could brush his fur against their shoes—only shoes, as he didn’t like feeling the human’s skin.

Agatha the cat was very different in her behavior from Topito. She liked being petted by everyone who approached her, loved hunting, and had become close to two tough neighborhood cats, both very rough. No one knew which house they truly lived in; they roamed all day, and some said they were stray cats. Topito was afraid of them, and one of them had managed to enter his house at some point, rolling him over and hurting him, pulling out a bunch of hairs from his beautiful fur. Since that day, he was very cautious.

Despite Agatha’s companionship with those cats, Topito didn’t want to give up his courtship. He slowly began to capture her attention. Topito would spend hours licking his fur, trying to meow loudly (which was quite challenging, as his meow was always soft and faded with the wind, more like a tone much lower than the other cats’ meows). He would occasionally jump onto the window or spin around trying to catch his tail, lifting his paws over the grille, making sure those two outlaw cats weren’t nearby.

After persevering for a long time, one day Topito managed to make her notice him. From that day on, she never stopped fixing her gaze on him. Agatha saw a cat different from the others—clean, white as cotton, soft, and tender. Slowly, Cupid entered their lives, and both fell in love. Now, Topito and Agatha the cat have two beautiful kittens, and they spend time between the two houses where they are loved, cherished, and cared for. The outlaw cats were never heard from again.

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT:

Review and note the definition of perseverance.

Do you consider yourself a perseverant person?

When a situation is difficult, do you leave it halfway, or do you persevere until you achieve it?

If you fail to achieve a goal, what feelings overwhelm you? Explain briefly.

Do you know anyone in your life who is perseverant? Tell us who they are and what they have achieved to make you characterize them in that way.