I keep starting to post this, then stopping. I'm not sure if this will help or not, but going to share it anyway, in the hopes that it could possibly make you feel better. I think your cat was rather elderly, right?

So the other day, in relation to a discussion on difficulty grieving something that's left uncertain, I happened to mention what happened with your cat. Dr. T (who has owned a number of them) said that cats are interesting in that when they sense that they're near death, their instinct is to go someplace where they can be alone. So that will often lead to them escape a house/apartment so that they can pass away in their preferred way.

Perhaps that's what happened for yours? That it wasn't you being careless and letting him out, but he was looking for a moment to escape because he knew what was coming, so he took it. And he didn't suffer (as in, wasn't wandering the streets for days), but instead went out peacefully on his own terms.

I don't know where to post this because it doesn't specifically have to do with therapy... So I'm hoping this couch might help.

Why is it worth living? What if you don't have many/any people in your life? What if you have no life (i.e. career, parenting, friends, etc.). I know technically I can only answer this for myself, but I'm curious to know what keeps other people going?

I wish I could answer that question. Inertia seems to keep me going.

I have two situations that i need couch-advice about:

Situation 1
I want to apply for a job where I currently attend graduate school BUT am worried that since a couple of my professors don't like me, they won't agree to act as a reference when I ask them.

Question: Should I apply for the job anyway (not ask those two professors) and find other professors to ask. I have a reputation of being a chatterbox that annoys the professors (and some of my classmates) so I'm worried that while this job is the PERFECT fit for me, I won't be considered due to my personality.

Situation 2
There is a tenant in my building who is struggling to live alone. She's in her 60s, is on a county program for AA/NA housing financial support and she is actively using b/c she falls against her gas stove and then passes out, and then the whole apt bldg fills up with gas aka carbon monoxide (she's done this 7 times despite property management giving her a warning AND installing childproof knobs on her gas stove). The neighbors (two of them) yelled at me during the last episode, while we all stood outside waiting for the all-clear from the fire dept. One of the neighbors yelled at me, "You're what's wrong with society!" because I (due to exasperation) complained to the caretaker loudly, "I can't believe this is happening AGAIN! This woman can't live by herself! This keeps happening and making those of us home when it happens sick with dizziness and nausea and it's scary!" Because i said that, the neighbor who yelled at me thinks I'm not a compassionate person. Yet I am. I lived with my mother for 3 years taking care of her due to her dementia progressing to the point where my sister and I had to find a nursing home to put our mom in. Then, I moved in with a roommate, not knowing she has bipolar depression and I took care of HER for a year after that. I do not want to take care of any more people. I just want to take care of myself.

Question: That mean neighbor has never apologized. Should I just ignore her even though there is a building BBQ coming up in two weeks (she has not signed up to go either, but I have). Should I knock on her door to address her nasty behavior with me? Or should I just ignore her.