The Paper Bag

Recently my city put a tax on all plastic bags. As a result, retailers around the city have moved to paper bags, which I think is great.
A few weeks ago, I purchased something at the Body Shop, took the paper bag, and in typical Deena fashion, the bag temporarily ended up on the floor of my bedroom. 4 days after this purchase, I took a trip home to visit my parents, leaving my cat in the care of my roommates. I was gone for about 10 days and came back to discover something that no one could possibly predict.
My cat has become dependent on this paper bag. Java just loves it. She used to sleep at the foot of my bed, now she sleeps on the bag. Constantly. Even when I am practicing, (opera, so it's high and loud), she stays curled up on her bag, whereas before she would always leave my room. It's... unnerving?
Right now she's staring at me as I type this, laying on her bag, seemingly aware that I am writing about her. I have moved the bag. It was on my bed for a few hours one day while I was cleaning. She was agitated and upset. I try to play with her every night to show her some love (i'm gone for long periods of time throughout the day and I know she gets bored and lonely). I have this one toy that she loves. So I sit on my floor with her and flick it around and she generally will chase it. Since this bag has entered our lives, she will lay on it a lazily paw at it from the bag. Haha. It's infuriating! The other day I picked up the bag and put it on its side so she couldn't lay on it while we were playing. It worked out well but... she just loves this stupid bag. Because she loves it so much I have a hard time throwing it out. So for now, it sits on my floor, often with my beautiful tabby curled up in contentment.
But it makes me think. What is the 'bag' in my life? What is in my life that I cannot get rid of, that I feel so closely attached to? My relationship with my Mom? My singing? My relationship with Christ? Or is it simpler? An obsession with a certain food? Song? Movie? Or maybe it is more than one thing. A bunch of little things, tied up together along with a few bigger things. Maybe it is these little needs, longings, that make us who we are.
We are friends with certain people because we make time to be with them. We make an effort to be around with them, or at the very least, to connect with them, via the phone, internet, etc. Are these friendships a bunch of paper bags in our lives? Some bigger, some smaller? Is our entire being, everything that we like and dislike, made up of these paper bags, things that we cling to and long for and love?
I don't really want an answer... So as Kathleen Kelly says in my favorite movie, You've Got Mail, I just want to send this question out into the void... so goodnight dear void...
blessings and love