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Home, Inspiring Words, Nature, Photography, Sweet Breathing, Travel Adventure, Trees

Focusing on the Light

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“The spirit of a time is an incredibly subtle, yet hugely powerful force. And it is comprised of the mentality and spirit of all individuals together. Therefore, the way you look at things is not simply a private matter. Your outlook actually and concretely affects what goes on. When you give in to helplessness, you collude with despair and add to it. When you take back your power and choose to see the possibilities for healing and transformation, your creativity awakens and flows to become an active force of renewal and encouragement in the world. In this way, even in your own hidden life, you can become a powerful agent of transformation in a broken, darkened world. There is a huge force field that opens when intention focuses and directs itself toward transformation.”
-John O’Donohue
Focusing on the light as an active force of renewal and encouragement in the world… Thank you John O’Donohue, thank you to all the heart centered ones around the world doing all that they can, thank you for continuing to focus on the light, the goodness… It is difficult in these days.  Let’s keep trying our best.

 

Animals, Home, Photography, Sweet Breathing

For the Love of a Dog

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I waited a very very long time to have a dog.  Waited past the years of long hotel hours and after the constant moving was behind me.  Waited until I had some roots to make a home for him. Waited for a place where I could provide a spot on the planet where there was room to roam, where a dog could be a dog.  A dog.  A friend. A companion. A confidant.  A being that loved the outdoors and nature like I did, a bit independent, couldn’t wait to get out in the snow… and I found Little Bear or Little Bear found me.  Craig called him Bob.  We settled on Little Bear Bob Barker.

He was an Australian Shepherd, and as a puppy loved to nip – he wanted to herd things – people, other animals, get them in line.  He also used to like to go visiting – we have no fencing, and wanted him to be able to explore, to run and run, so for a while he toured around the hood.  Later he stuck to his own property mostly.  And man, could that dog run.  Like the wind!  Little Bear loved when I was outside with him, running laps around me – five times for my one.  Checking back on me, exploring, checking back on me again – over and over.  But there was so much to see, and smell and experience and my pace was way too slow for that.

God, I loved that dog.  Ferociously.  Do people who don’t have children love their pets more than those that must share their love with their offspring?  Not necessarily – I know lots of dog lovers who adore their pets, sometimes more than their children honestly.  But I do know that he wasn’t a substitute child for me, he was just Little Bear, a unique being on the planet and I adored him. A sweet, smart, enthusiastic soul who just loved life, loved everyone, people and other animals, and was so very very happy – ALL the time.

His job was to case the perimeter, ensure there were no intruders – especially deer, they had to go – not catch them mind you, or hurt them, just get them off the property – the imaginary line he had established in his dog mind was always secure on his watch.  He’d saunter back after ensuring this was done efficiently, after running so hard, head down.  I worried about the gopher holes, that he’d break a leg, but he was too smart for that.  He was wicked smart.  Smarter than me. The foxes really made him crazy though – didn’t know exactly what to do with them – play? run them off? tilt your head and just examine them?  All of the above.

His energy was everywhere in our home and our lives.  And that’s the hardest part.  The quiet from the lack of his energy.  It was potent.  I hope it will linger. Contagious. Infectious. Beautiful. Special. It feels empty now.

There’s a huge hole.  Gigantic.  He was always at the door to greet me, always wanted to go outside with me, was always at my feet at my desk, or while I watched a movie, slept on the bed, followed me everywhere even the bathroom.  Laying so close by to touch me. Telling me so much with his people eyes.  No Little Bear eyes. We had so many rituals.  Morning outside, followed by his toothbrush.  Breakfast.  A walk.  Play with the dodo.  Nap.  On football Sundays, there was a touchdown dance when the Seahawks scored, outside to scout first to the meadow, diagonal across the lawn, up the ridge, back across into the woods – all ok, saunter back ready for a treat.  Dinner.  On the couch between us, nap at my feet, rest at my desk when I’m in here working, up on the bed – the bottom, for sleeping, wait at the door when we’re away, maybe nap a little, but always waiting at the door when we return, run to all three doors when my jeep pulled away.  There are so many spaces now that Little Bear filled – it hasn’t even been a full day and they are overwhelming.

It was just this morning that he left us, while I lay beside him.  Just the day before he was outside in the snow surveying the beauty there.  He had a restless night, woke up and decided it was time to go.  His quality of life up until the day before he left us was good – I’m grateful for that and, too, I’m a bit scared about how deeply this hurts, how derailed I feel – no good perspective, just overwhelming sadness and emptiness.  Craig, who didn’t want a dog at first, suffering just as much as I am, and that’s hard too.  They were big buddies – “want to go for a truck ride” was the biggest thrill for Little Bear, and caused great euphoria, and off they’d go.  But then everything made that dog happy, just being, was enough.

I learned so much from him.  My heart has been torn open.  Yes, I loved this little fur clad soul ferociously, and the pain is tremendous, but the love was worth it – even now.

Home, Inspiring Words, Nature, Photography, Sweet Breathing

Dawn

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“dawn peeks her head
over the horizon softly sweetly
like a child playing peek-a-boo
her smile shimmers warmly
all across the land, cascading
through the branches of trees
across the lakes and streams
glittering like jewels on the petals
of flowers as dew drops cling
to the coming of yet another chance
to embrace one another, love
one another, be kind to yet
another person who longs
for a smile, a hug, a willing ear,
someone dear
yes, dawn is smiling on us
from up above, loving us
with kindness and warmth
giving us this day to
work and play
oh what a beautiful way
to greet the new day ❤“
-Michael Traveler from “morning song”
Flowers, Home, Inspiring Words, Nature, Photography, Sweet Breathing

Between Our Breaths

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“Even in movement there is stillness                                                      If we would but awaken.

Between our breaths                                                                       breathing in and breathing out,                                                    Between the blinking of our eyes                                                        and the beating of our heart,

In that space,                                                                                                  as time begins falling into the timeless                                                We focus on that still point                                                                    and cross the threshold

Awareness rises.”

-Bob Holmes

 

Home, Inspiring Words, Photography, Sweet Breathing

And the People Stayed Home

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These words by Kitty O’Meara resonated with me deeply.  Kitty has a blog called “The Daily Round”: https://the-daily-round.com/

“And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.
“And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.
And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.”

-Kitty O’Meara

 

Home, Inspiring Words, Photography, Sweet Breathing

Yes There is Fear

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These are lovely, real, and needed words right now.  Written by Brother Richard (Richard Hendrick), it’s called Lockdown.

“Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan
after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.

They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other across the empty squares, keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone may hear
the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know is busy spreading fliers with her number through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples are preparing to welcome and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear. But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation. But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying. But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.But there does not have to be disease of the soul.
Yes there is even death. But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming, And we are always
encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul And though you may not be able to touch across the empty square, Sing. ”

-Richard Hendrick (Brother Richard)

Today, breathe, reach out, slow down, reflect, do what you can, realize what really matters, treasure your home and those in it, and take care of yourself and each other.

*I don’t usually explain the pictures  that pair with my posts and quotes – there’s always a reason, some more obvious that others! In this case though, I wanted to share the meaning of the photo to me.

The shadow is mine appearing on the snow in the photo  and to me represents not living in shadow but in the light – and those little trees that are puncturing my heart chakra and third eye speak to me of  being broken open by the outer events of the world, growing through it as best as I can, while being completely present and literally and figuratively solidly at home.  And the image at the top is that home that I so treasure.