The Lesson My Cat Nermal Taught Me About Life and Success

When I first moved to New York City, I was like most 25-year-olds — sharing a tiny apartment with roommates in what’s known as a walk-up building.

No elevators. No doormen. Just narrow staircases, peeling paint, and a lot of hustle to carry groceries up six flights.

It never felt very safe, and I longed for the day when I could finally move into one of those fancy doorman buildings — the kind with marble lobbies, newer units, 24/7 security, and, hopefully, far fewer mice.

Yes, mice were a real part of life back then.And the solution to my mouse problem came in the form of my very first cat: a tiny, one-pound gray and white striped kitten I named Nermal.

Nermal wasn’t just a pet.

If you’ve ever had an animal during your twenties and thirties, you know — they become your best friend. Your constant. Your comfort.

Nermal and I lived together in that walk-up on East 39th Street. And every single day when I walked out my front door, I would look across the street at a massive, luxurious doorman building. I dreamed about the day I could afford to live there. I thought about how safe and easy life would be on the other side of the street.

Years went by. I worked hard. I moved up in the world. Today, I can afford to live in a beautiful doorman building in New York City, just like I always dreamed.

But you know what I don’t have anymore?

Nermal.

She crossed the Rainbow Bridge on February 25, 2017.

And while I have the building, the security, the shiny amenities I used to dream about, I would give anything to have even one more minute with that little gray and white cat who made those early years so much sweeter.

The lesson is simple — and it's one I try to remember every day:

It’s okay to strive for more.  It’s good to want a better life for yourself. There’s nothing wrong with wanting progress, growth, or even fancier living conditions without mice.

But don’t forget to appreciate what you have right now.

Because the truth is, you will probably reach many of your goals. You’ll get the things you’re working so hard for. But when you get there, something you have today — something incredibly precious — will almost certainly be gone.

Appreciate it now.

Whatever you're chasing, don’t lose sight of what’s already right in front of you.