mister has a cat roommate because someone far away in another country on the other side of the planet has cancer of the brain. the cat came to me this morning and i fed her on the counter while preparing mister's breakfast. mister came and the cat arced and made a strange guttural sound. i said it's ok, and the cat went back to eating while mister ate, the cat looking at mister, mister looking at me. 

later we met luna, the dutch shepherd i used to stay with, and mister held back as i greeted her, then he approached hesitantly. they put their heads near, then luna's eyes went cold, and she became fierce, but i wondered if it would have been peaceable had her mother not been fearful. there is a moment when calm may inform and open an interaction, a moment when we may influence an encounter, when it is subjective, when it may turn violent or peaceful. often peace is the natural way, but there are the neutral times, when, depending on us, it can go either way.