Blessed are you, Creator, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless our animal relations. By the power of your love, enable them to live according to you plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Creator, in all your creatures.
Had a fantastic walk in the grasslands today. Sun shining, 27 degrees, incredible warm wind from the southwest. The grass was dancing. Standing tall to feel the sun, bending and swaying with the wind. The hills were alive. It wasn’t hard to have loving kindness for myself on such a glorious day. I wanted to blow like the grass, fully here but bending to the force of the wind, then standing back up again. A sort of flow.
What is flow?
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
Posted in Archived
I share my life with two beautiful old dogs. Heidi is 13 years old and Echo is 11. Both have outlived their breed life expectancy. Heidi is approaching the twilight of her journey. Her breath is sometimes laboured and she has a difficult time walking because she has what appears to be degenerative myleopathy. She drags her right rear leg. She still loves to eat, play and go for her walkies. Painfully slow walkies. What use to take twenty minutes in the morning now takes forty-five minutes. The walks aren’t painful for her. It’s me. I haven’t learned to slow myself down to match her. I am still trying to just get the morning routine done and get to work. I have forgotten the story of Heidi, how she came to me with her brother Willie as a puppy. How she fell in the fish pond the moment I let her out of the car. How she loved the cat, her first friend at her new house. How she wept with me when the cat died. How she taught me to be humble in the dog show ring. How she has loved me forever and will continue to love me when she is gone.
Heidi came to me to be remembered. She came with a message, like she was an angel, a fairy or a wise woman. My relationship with Heidi has been choreographed by Creator, teaching much about who I am, can and will be. Heidi’s relationship with me has been long and enduring. The lessons have never been gut wrenching but kind and gentle.
I need to take the time every morning to honour our relationship. To not be in a hurry to get my day on its way. the day doesn’t need my help, it happens all on its own. Even in her twilight Heidi, is teaching me something important. Slow down, life goes fast enough. Take time to honour it and the relationships that come into it.
Heidi and my time are gifts.
Posted in Archived
I had to peel 50 pounds of potatoes for the PIT Stop meal yesterday. (feeding marginalized in my community, I organized it). It was a sort of chop wood mediation. Peel, peel ,peel. I got rid of lots of anger and then got to thinking about what really matters. That’s the bonus of repetitive tasks? I was feeling unloved. I was chopping heads off with every peel but then I started thinking about why I was doing this. I let go of the unworthiness I was feeling and rejoiced in the everydayness of peeling potatoes. I made it a meditation on what matters. I was here, fully connected and one with my ordinary life. It felt good. The mashed potatoes were delicious.
Amazed With Mystery 