Cartel Cats: Know Your Rights
Chapter Twelve: Love the Person, Not the Pain
The alleys of Pawloma were full of stories—some whispered, some shouted, some hidden in the quiet spaces between heartbeats. Tonight, Barbara Sanders sat with her crew, the moonlight painting silver stripes across their fur.
Sneezy Lila was quiet, her eyes troubled.
Sneezy Lila:
"Why do we still love our family, even when they do bad things? The world says they're evil, but… I don't know. I still love them. Should I feel bad about that?"
Barbara nodded, understanding the ache behind the question.
Barbara:
"Lila, you don't have to love what someone does to love who they are. There's a difference between a person and their actions. You can hate the choices, the mistakes, the pain they cause—but still love the heart underneath."
Sleepy Sal chimed in,
"My brother did some things I'll never understand. But he's still my brother. I survived it, and I'm still here. That's not weakness. That's strength."
Scene 1: Evil Backwards
Mama Patch, wise as always, joined them.
Mama Patch:
"You know, kittens, the world loves to talk about 'evil.' But look at that word—evil spelled backwards is 'live.' Sometimes, the only reason you're even asking these questions is because you survived. You lived through it. Don't ever apologize for surviving."
Barbara smiled,
"Perspective matters. Most folks judge from the outside, but they don't know what it's like to start from where you started. They don't know what you've lived through."
Scene 2: Loving Without Apology
Barbara:
"It's okay to love somebody and not love their actions. You can set boundaries, you can say 'no' to the pain, but you don't have to turn your heart to stone. Loving someone doesn't mean you excuse what they do—it means you see the whole picture, not just the broken parts."
Sneezy Lila wiped her eyes, relief softening her face.
Sneezy Lila:
"So it's okay to love my family, even if the world says I shouldn't?"
Barbara:
"It's more than okay. It's human. You survived. You get to decide what love means for you."
Scene 3: The Crew's Support
Rico, always the tough one, spoke up.
Rico:
"People see what they want to see. But only you know your story. Don't let anyone shame you for loving, or for surviving."
Mama Patch added,
"We all start from different places. Don't let the world's judgment drown out your own truth."
Scene 4: The Moral
Barbara looked around at her crew, every face marked by struggle, every heart still beating with hope.
Barbara:
"Love the person, not the pain. Live your truth, even if the world doesn't understand. And never, ever apologize for surviving."
Rights Recap Song
🎶
Evil backwards, live, you see,
Surviving's nothing to hide.
You can love the soul, not the deed,
And still stand strong with pride.
Love is not approval,
It's seeing what's inside.
You're allowed to draw your boundaries,
But keep your heart open wide.
Don't apologize for living,
Or for loving through the storm.
Your story's yours to carry,
In every shape and form.
🎶
Spoken Outro (Mama Patch)
Remember, kittens:
The world will always have opinions,
but only you know your journey.
You can love without excusing,
and you can live without apologizing.
Surviving is strength,
and loving is never wrong.