Emotions Are the Key to Life: Marvin the "Mental Health Warrior" Cat Unlocks Truth 2
- Bruce Schutter
- Oct 20
- 6 min read
I was just walking downtown, minding my business, sipping a lukewarm diet soda (not by choice — the ice maker wasn’t working), when I heard a familiar voice shout across the park:
“Hey! Bruce! You magnificent human Warrior!”
I turned just in time to see Marvin the “Mental Health Warrior” Cat charging at me — oversized sunglasses on, a worn copy of 20 Truths About Mental Health That Everyone Needs to Hear under one paw and a half-eaten sardine sandwich flopping out of a satchel labeled “EMERGENCY FEELINGS.”
“Marvin?” I blinked. “You read my book?”
He skidded to a dramatic stop. “Read it? I devoured it! It’s my emotional bible — my fur-covered field guide to mental health — my tuna-scented manual on how mental health impacts every corner of our lives!”
Power of Truth Two
Before I could respond, he flipped open the book with a flourish. “Truth 2 changed my life.”
I smiled. “Ah yes — Embrace the Full Spectrum of Emotions to Get the Full Life Experience. One of my favorites.”
Marvin beamed, tail flicking proudly. “Bruce, I had no idea it was okay to feel... everything. I used to avoid sad movies, breakup songs and Mondays. Now? I embrace it all. Yesterday, I cried watching an insurance commercial.”
“That’s — well, that’s very emotionally available of you.”
He nodded solemnly. “And I want the whole crew to read it — Doug the ‘Depressed’ Dog, Andy’s second cousin Twice Removed, even Percy the ‘PTSD’ Platypus. They need to hear these truths. Especially Truth 2. It’s time we stop fearing feelings!”
He plopped down on a bench, opened the book again, and pointed a claw at the section on Embracing All Emotions.
“See this right here — this idea that sadness isn’t weakness? Turns out, it’s actually... healing.”
My Warrior Story
“I know,” I said. “I used to numb every emotion that hurt — with alcohol, distraction, or pretending I was fine. But once I started facing them head-on, life got richer. Even when it was hard.”
Marvin looked at me with the seriousness of a cat who’s just found out his kibble brand was discontinued. “We need to share this truth. But more than that — we need to act on it. Warriors don’t just feel — they use those feelings to build something better.”
Now Marvin is a fellow Warrior and knows my story — how for 20 years I struggled with Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. A struggle that left me feeling so powerless that I tried to end my life. But in that dark time, I discovered something life-changing: mental health is the key to overcoming any challenge.
Armed with that knowledge, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program — a bold new SELF-HELP approach that puts YOU in charge! So you can take charge of your emotions, triumph over challenges, and build the life you really want.
A big part of that program was learning how mental health impacts every area of our lives, which led me to write the book 20 Truths About Mental Health That Everyone Needs to Hear.
“Well said,” I replied. “Want to share how you’ve been applying Truth 2?”
“Oh, absolutely,” he said, leaping up with the drama of a Broadway lead in a musical called Cats Who Feel Too Much. “Here are my top three Marvin-approved, Warrior-certified ways to take action with this truth — with a little help from you.”
Action 1: Feel It All — Even the Cringe Stuff
“Last week, I admitted I was jealous of Andy the ‘Anxious’ Aardvark. The little guy got promoted to Assistant Emotional Support Animal. I cried. I journaled. Then I wrote him a congratulatory haiku:
‘Tiny anxious feet,
Tremble with professional pride
—Respect, aardvark king.’
It was a whole journey. I went from ‘Why him and not me?’ to ‘Wait... maybe I want to lead more group hugs.’ Turns out, envy is just a badly dressed desire trying to get your attention. Once I stopped pretending I wasn’t feeling it, I could actually learn from it.
Emotional growth and poetry? Nailed it.”
Our Turn:
I remember the first time I let myself fully feel envy. It wasn’t pretty — I wanted to pretend I was above it. But instead of pushing it down or distracting myself, I sat with it and asked: What is this feeling trying to show me?
(Spoiler: I wasn’t pursuing what I truly wanted — and that needed to change.)
That uncomfortable emotion helped me make a major career pivot — one that brought me closer to my purpose.
Truth 2 taught me this: every emotion is a message. Even the ones we don’t post about on Instagram — especially those — can lead us somewhere better… if we’re brave enough to listen.
Action 2: Negative Emotions Are Fuel (Not Flaws)
“So I got angry when someone on the internet called cats ‘emotionally unavailable.’ Like excuse me, Chad999, I’ve cried during every Pixar movie and over an empty food bowl.
Normally, I’d just write a snarky tweet like ‘Sorry we’re not Labradors, Greg,’ and move on.
But this time? I paused. I breathed. I channeled that righteous fury into something useful — a full-blown Warrior presentation titled: ‘Yes, We Feel: A Feline Guide to Emotional Fluency.’
It had slides, statistics, dramatic reenactments of inner turmoil, and a bonus section on the emotional symbolism of purring. It even received a standing ovation from the mice. One of them wept into a cracker.”
He paused, then added more seriously, “The point is — I used to think anger was something to hide. Now I know it’s a flashlight. It shows you what matters. And when you aim it with intention, it becomes a force for truth.”
Our Turn:
For me, anger used to mean danger — or failure. But once I learned to redirect it, it became a source of power. When I felt angry about how I was treated during my bipolar diagnosis, I used that fire to write my first book. That single act turned pain into purpose.
Anger, properly understood, can move mountains — or in Marvin’s case, PowerPoint slides. 💪
The truth is, anger isn’t the enemy. It’s information. It tells you something isn’t right — and it challenges you to do something about it. When we stop judging our negative emotions and start listening to them, they transform from chaos into clarity.
Action 3: Joy is Stronger After the Storm
“Yesterday, I sat in a patch of sun and cried for no reason. Just… full-on puddle face. It was like my soul was spring cleaning and forgot to warn me.
Then — I kid you not — a butterfly landed on my nose. I laughed so hard I startled myself, tripped over a yoga mat and knocked over my ‘Zen but Fierce’ scented candle.
But in that moment — that ridiculous, messy swing from sadness to laughter — I felt more alive than I have in weeks.
That’s what Truth 2 is talking about. You can’t numb the hard stuff and still expect to feel the good stuff in full color. You’ve got to sit with the storm if you want to appreciate the sunlight. And maybe the butterfly.”
He paused, then added quietly, “The joy hit harder because I let myself feel the sadness first. I didn’t stuff it in a box labeled ‘Later’ or try to purr it away. I lived it. And then I laughed my furry butt off.”
Our Turn:
He’s not wrong. The first time I laughed after months of depression, it felt like someone had turned the lights back on. That’s the beauty of embracing all emotions — the joy hits deeper when you’ve walked through the shadows.
Mental health isn’t about constant joy. It’s about earned joy. It’s the joy that comes from surviving the hard days, choosing to keep showing up and realizing that even after the storm — you’re still here.
Wrap Up
As we sat together, I watched Marvin flip through the pages of 20 Truths again, his paw lingering on the final paragraph of Truth 2.
“‘When we embrace the full spectrum of emotions,’” he read aloud, “‘we live authentically and without hiding from the richness of the human experience.'”
He patted the book. “This — this is more than pages and paragraphs. It’s your fight. Your heart. Your truth. And now, it’s ours.”
I swallowed hard. “Thanks, Marvin. That means more than you know.”
He straightened his glasses and stood tall. “I’m telling the crew tonight. We’re having a Warrior Reading Circle in the alley behind the bakery. There will be tissues, catnip, and emotional breakthroughs.”
And with that, I gave Marvin an extra copy of 20 Truths About Mental Health That Everyone Needs to Hear to share with his friends. Marvin sauntered off, tail high, book tucked under his arm like a badge of honor.
So the next time you feel like hiding from your emotions, remember Truth 2 — and put it into action.
Because this is what healing looks like: messy, honest, beautiful!
Bruce Schutter
Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!
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