Do Good Update!

 

Here’s Fitzgerald today!! He’s had LOTS of baths and TLC. Not to mention some great vet care. This is him with one of the angels who has helped turn his story around. Here he is just a few days ago:

 

Who says animals don’t have facial expressions!!

 

Thanks to all of you who have been able to help out. Thousands of dollars have been raised to cover vet bills, foster care and adoptive process. You’re all angels!

Weekend Do Good Opportunity

Want to get your mind off of yourself for a while? Then read the story off this sweet pup that some acquaintances of mine just rescued off of the streets of L.A. There has been an organized effort for the last few days by a small group of animal rescuers and animal rights activists who are trying to get this guy the help he needs.

 

When the found him he was clearly homeless and injured. He has scrapes and cuts all over him. They’re not sure what happened to him but once they were able to get a better look it was evident that he had an injured back hip and that he had some kind of skin problem on his genitals.

Trying to avoid involvement with Animal Control since they would surely put him down or return him to his “owner” and since he was a friendly and non-threatening dog, they figured out a way to get him into a car and to the house of one couple who has offered to keep him safe until a foster placement can be found.

In the meantime, he needs a lot of veterinarian care. An x-ray shows that he has a displaced hipbone and he has a severe skin disorder which I won’t post a picture of here.

The good news is that he is in the hands of loving people now. To read his story, you can go to http://www.swaylove.org/neglected-alhambra-pit-bull-being-saved-from-the-streets-please-help. You can see the most heartwarming video ever here: Fitzgerald’s rescue. The people working to save him need help to get him all the care he needs. In addition to vet care,:

“These funds will also be put towards his potential hospital boarding (until a suitable foster can be found), to advertise for alignment with a reputable rescue, or any other things that he may need along the way. Surgery on his hip could also be in his foreseeable future, that’s yet to be determined and really primarily depends on his new vet’s opinion.”

Can you spare $5, $20, $100 for Fitzgerald? If so, you can click on http://claritysix.chipin.com/fitzgerald-neglected-alhambra-pit-bull and make an easy donation.

Hearing and Heeding

As promised, I wanted to follow up the previous post with a brief description of the book, Manifesting Michelangelo, which I read about 8 months ago and reread last weekend. It is written by Joseph Pierce Farrell who is an energy healer. He is unique though because he works closely with Western medical providers to foster “integrative healthcare” that includes mind, body, and spirit. He founded Global Health Institute which is a “medical education and research foundation that is composed of a cross-disciplinary group of healthcare professionals.”

The book, though, isn’t about his current work so much as it is about how he got to where he is. I reread it because I recalled that in the last few chapters of the book, he gives advice about finding and following your calling.  Here is what he had to say about “callings” :

Our true nature, the sacred inheritance I have talked about throughout this book, is what we need to bring forth so that we can identify with it and I’ve lives that are aligned with who we are on the deepest level. By doing that, we not only make ourselves happier and more fulfilled but also spread that happiness to everyone around us… The second reason…is, of course, to repair the world, or what is called in the Jewish tradition tikkun olam.

Last weekend, I updated you on my current in feelings about my calling. In short, I feel some discontentment with what I am currently doing with my time and energy and I am keeping the faith that my true (or perhaps, next) calling will blossom in time. So I was curious. What did Farrell say about the steps he took to find, or to maintain, his connection with his “true nature?” (Granted, he had something of a Saul moment where an inexplicable light overtook his every faculty and he was swept into a trancelike state before reemerging with new understanding, enlightenment and healing ability. Does anybody else out there ever wish something like that would happen to them?? *hundreds of hands raise* heehee.)

But no matter what the vehicle, Farrell emphasizes that:

Many of the world’s spiritual traditions teach that each of us possesses a divine gift inside, a gift that we were born with. This gift takes many forms, and our task is to locate and identify our inner passions and dreams, because when we do that we will discover what we’re supposed to be doing in life.

In the final chapters of his book, Farrell offers 5 steps for finding your life’s purpose and changing the world by just being what your soul longs to be. As I list and describe them, I challenge you to think about which steps you have taken, which ones have you yet to take, and which ones maybe need a tune up.

Step 1 is Look. By this he means:

Be alert to whatever messages come to give you a clue from your soul to your true calling. The clue may arrive at any time and in the most unlikely place: sitting on a bus, walking or driving to work, watching television, taking a shower, or sitting on the john in the morning.

Step 2 is Decide. Farrell encourage us to listen to “deep within” to decide the steps to take toward our calling. Once you have decided to step toward your dream–possibly leaving a more comfortable path–people and events will come into your path to encourage you along.

So one you start paying attention to your subconscious or strong emotional responses to people and events, what do you do? First, see if these messages connect back to some with or desire for change that you discovered while working on Step One. After you look…you will probably identify one or more areas for possible change, either in yourself or in the larger world.

I love the next step. Step 3 is Connect, which as you know is a concept so near and dear to the hearts of our authors.  Farrell’s sense of connection here refers to connecting with a higher power, or what he calls Source. Farrell does this through meditation, qigong, and other practices. It is in these moments of connection that Farrell encounters the unconditional love and compassion that he then transmits to his patients through his thoughts, hands, and intentions. For me, this connection to God is where I find the clarity of thought, the insight, and the wisdom to understand and accept where I am while believing that the future is unwritten and full of promise.

The most important thing to keep in mind is this: that the journey to connect to Source is not an intellectual pursuit. You don’t connect through your intellect. … One way to begin opening the heart center is by sending out feelings of gratitude for all that you have received. … So you allow your heart to swell until it expands to the ineffable presence of the Divine, and in that moment you are connected to the Divine. …At that point, I am no longer doing anything. …I become a conduit and surrender to a higher power. … Once you acknowledge the force and begin to play with it, you can master it and use it for many things. One of those uses, of course, could be healing individuals of physical ailments. but you can use the same force for healing social ils or the pody politic, changing where you live or the kind of work you do.

Step 4 is Act. Someone reminded me recently that sometimes when we have come a long way in our growth, the universe allows a big challenge to be put in our path in order to get us up to the next level of growth. I can sense that my next “act” is beginning to peck its way out of its little egg. Farrell says that taking action is crucial not only for personal fulfillment but also, and more importantly, to repair the world we live in.

We have all been given gifts. What we decide to do with those gifts is our gift to God, but how we act on them is our gift to humanity. We all have a choice to stand by and watch or to be among the noble spirits who manifest change on this planet for their larger family.

Finally, Step 5 is Manifest. This step has to do with the “wakes we leave behind” that reach into the lives of others that we may never meet.

What we need to understand is that we all have that same potential to create wakes that can smooth the way for others and leave lasting benefits. Sometimes those others may consist of our families, our local communities, our colleagues at work, or maybe just one other person — a spouse or partner, a parent or child, a friend in need. But as we manifest our change, the wakes we leave behind spread out just as a boat’s wake does on the surface of the water. We start out by changing our lives and the lives of loved ones, and then they change someone’s life, and the effect ripples outward until many more people are affected by what we have manifested.

Revisiting these ideas even as I now write has reinvigorated me and reassured me that, just like each of you, I am right where I need to be. That’s why I love the blurb that I included at the top. It reminds me to be grateful to be me. I hope that this has given you some food for thought. And I hope you will join me in taking steps toward meeting and walking in our highest calling.

My California Pizza Kitchen Calling

Could working at a pizza chain be a life calling?? Why not. I have a friend who worked there for years. He was (from what I surmise) the director of development and training and he LOVED his job. He loved working with people, thinking outside the box to develop new ideas, and fostering customer relations with every encounter. When he talked about his job he was so enthusiastic; he was bubbling with energy. When I told him how rare it is to run into people who speak so passionately about their job, he asked me if my job brought me that kind of passion. “I think so,” was my luke-warm reply. I had just made a career change and although the change felt right, I couldn’t say whether or not it was going to be my “passion.” Time would tell.

My job is wonderful. I love working with children and families in a helping profession. I am unendingly thankful for a career that provides me with financial stability and with time to pursue other interests. My work environment is warm and happy and  my colleagues are friendly and supportive. I can absolutely see how the work we do would be fulfilling to a person.

But….

The passion isn’t there for me. Then today, while reading Manifesting Michelangelo,  I rested for a moment on the following passage:

The feelings that register within you–in your heart, throat, stomach–those unconscious clues will reveal to you your sacred purpose. … By listening to your inner signals and allowing your reactions to your environment, workplace, and family to register, and by paying attention to the message within, your sacred gift, the reason you were created for, will reveal itself to you. That sacred potential within you is your inheritance waiting to be claimed.

I looked back and contemplated the path that brought me to where I am today. Had I followed my “inner signals?” When I was younger, I always loved animals and nature. I enjoyed being alone or with one or two others. I loved reading great stories and writing my thoughts. I loved being contemplative. I can’t recall what I wanted to “be” during high school. Maybe it was “photographer” or “writer.” In college I started out as a creative writing major. But I felt compelled to find something more “realistic” which was really an excuse to escape the pressure of performance in such an abstract world. I needed the comfort of something more structured…something science-y. My mother, knowing I enjoyed working with children in my part-time work study assignment , and knowing I was fascinated with language, suggested the career of Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP). It made sense: it was a science-based profession, it was well-received by people concerned with “stability,” and it forecast a clear path of 2 years of graduate studies then a job.

So here I am now–with a brief stint of PhD studies mixed in there–working as a SLP and enjoying the work that I do. Yet, there is this abiding lack of passion for what I do day-to-day. I don’t want to be working for the weekend and having to sing Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 to rally myself many mornings. Now, I fully believe in making the most of what you have, expressing gratitude for your blessings, and believing that the seeking soul is always right where they are supposed to be. I read recently, “Before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water; after enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. I’m not looking for an escape, but I am curious. Could there be more of a connection to my work? Could there be something out there that I would feel passionate about doing every day?

I think the answer to this is going to be a two-way street. The first lane, me…making the most of the time I have in this job by facing demons that arise, walking in love and appreciating the moments full of potential and opportunity that surround me. The second lane, God (as always, please consider my meaning to be God according to my experiences and beliefs while you may prefer Source, Universe, Divinity, Higher Power, etc.)…unfolding the roadmap toward a meeting place where my deferred “desires of the heart” come together with the gifts, knowledge, and skills I have now. What I know is that the loves from my childhood are still those which bring an effervescence to my soul today. They are still my California Pizza Kitchen.

************

But this post isn’t just about me. It’s about US. I want us all to be living those “sacred potentials” that are our “inheritance,” our California Pizza Kitchens. I want us to be free individuals that are complete, fulfilled, and capable of passing all of it along to others.  Tomorrow (hopefully tomorrow) I will tell you more about the book and what the author says about finding and embodying your “sacred potential” and how to use it to help others. I’ve gotten so much out of this book and I hope you’ll visit our site again tomorrow to find out about it.

Always with much love,

~~~S Wave~~~

“Beauty in Grief… Honoring Your Furry Family Members in Death”.

I know a number of people who are navigating the heartache of losing a pet or facing that journey in the near future. This is a blogpost that has been borrowed from 1Real Girl Writer. I thought those of you in this situation might find some comfort in her words and story..

~~~S Wave~~~

 

“Beauty in Grief… Honoring Your Furry Family Members in Death”..

via “Beauty in Grief… Honoring Your Furry Family Members in Death”..

If Edison can keep on…..

 

 

 

 

 

Wise words for today.

Whatever it is that you might be striving for, trying for, vying or or dying for….

Whatever it is that you’ve been dreaming of and feel that longing for in your spirit….

Keep moving on toward it!!

Find a different road to draw closer to it.

Try a different angle or a completely different lens to look at it.

Tell yourself the encouraging words that you know you would give to your closest friend if the shoe were on the other foot.

Write it down….paint it….sculpt it….sing it.

And remember…..always…..that you “have come into being by the collective power of the entire universe.” If the most minuscule event had happened differently, you wouldn’t be here. Give thanks that you are here and believe that you belong.

 

 

With love,

~~~S Wave~~~

What’s New With Being Old

Note: This is the next in a series of posts contributed by our 90 year-old author, ~~~M Wave~~~. Show her some love! Visit her category “Memoirs of a Nonagenarian” at the right to see what else she has written.

I’ve been thinking about “being old” because in my mind I don’t feel old. I still want the same kinds of things I have always wanted. I am fortunate because some of them I can still enjoy. I still take walks…short ones with my cat. Yes, she goes right along with me and doesn’t run off. I think it may be because she is getting old (for a cat) and appreciates still being able to get out. I enjoy using my computer to be in touch with family and friends. I still play the piano enough for my own enjoyment. I like to read. I enjoy some TV shows. I can visit with friends almost any day.

I would still like to go the pool and swim; I would still like go to France and visit my niece who is there during the summer. I would still like to fly to California and babysit my great granddaughter and allow her mother some time for herself. I would like to have my family members who have left this earth back here with me. I would like to………, but I am not able to have or do everything I would like. That is part of what it means to be old.

But I’ve never been able (for other reasons) to do all I’d like to do. So that’s nothing new.

So what is new about being old?

Of course, I know what you might say. It is that you are hurting. Again, that isn’t so new, either. Life has given me more than a few hurts.

I guess, the new thing is that we yearn so much for the old things that were good. Then the hurting gets worse. Your arthritis hurts more. Your fibromyalgia hurts more. Your hurting from a fall lasts longer. You hurt because you can’t process plots on movies and plays as fast as you used to and you appear dumb to others. You hurt because you can’t see as well as you used to and you can’t read as fast. You hurt because you make foolish math mistakes that you never used to do. You hurt because a friend’s husband just died and you cannot go to comfort her. You hurt for all the things you still want to do and cannot. You hurt because you feel you are not of any help to anyone. You hurt just because you fear you are a burden to others.

So, I guess what’s new about “being old” is just hurting more.

Thus, what you do, if you are old, is what you have done all your life. Survive the hurting. Do all you can to be a cheerful person, smile, think positively and live each day as best you can, realizing that each of us is interlocked with everyone else as all of us age each year.  Then you won’t hurt so much.