Monday, May 23, 2016

Life According to Buddy: Lessons from a Country Canine.

Today... I pay tribute to Buddy. Buddy is a "country dog" who lives out here with us. Well, he belongs to Eric's parents, but freely roams the 40 or so acres on which we reside. He is a rescue dog who landed in Paradise. And he knows it. :-) (I guess I can sort of relate... lol). I've grown to love this quirky, big-hearted pup... and I've come to know his ways. He has unwittingly taught me some stuff, actually. That whole "DOG is GOD spelled backwards" thing? I'm pretty sure that isn't a coincidence. To me, a dog is one of the purest forms of unconditional love... a playful reflection of our own DOG-GOD nature. I love dogs. And I love Buddy.

So yeah, there are a lot of "what I have learned from my dog" lists out there, but every dog has his own unique personality... his own "thing". So here is my list. Ten things I have learned from this lovable Border Collie named Buddy... READ MORE

Friday, May 6, 2016

Simple... not boring.

There's this book I really love... a book I got years ago that I still check in with from time to time. It's called "Journey to the Heart" by Melody Beattie. It's a collection of musings and meditations with an entry for every day of the year. I've owned lots of self-help and spiritual books over the years, but this is one that has stuck with me and always seems to resonate. Looking for some blogging inspiration, I flipped to the entry for May 4th, entitled "Cherish Each Moment". It couldn't have been more in alignment with where I was. In it, she writes: "Most of us relish the magnificent spiritual experiences, those tremendous discoveries, those important times of change. But those moments don't happen that often. The truth is, each moment in time is a spiritual experience, an important time of change. Cherish ALL your moments. Let each moment have value. The life you desire is happening right now. Your destiny is here."

See, I thought I needed some inspiration. I haven't blogged in a few weeks because I wasn't sure I had anything of real value to blog about. Life is peaceful. Simple and peaceful. No angst... no deep soul searching... no major "a-ha" revelations. Oh, it's not that I don't have those human (or hormonal, lol) "moments" or upsets or irritations... it's just that life overall feels GOOD. And I almost feel guilty about that. ;-) Almost. Until I remember all the angst-ridden, raw nerved times of unrest before this. Working a stressful job, lamenting life choices, searching for peace, happiness, and love. Thinking too much and trying too hard.  It's not that I ever intend to stop growing or evolving... it's just that these days it feels like my heart has arrived, if you will. Or maybe it's more like I have finally arrived at my heart. I feel a sense of wholeness I don't think I ever have before. Like everything that matters is right here, right now... inside and out.  And I know to cherish it. And I am grateful... so grateful. Part of it is having seasoned perspective and awareness... and part of it is about spiritual alignment and what has manifested as a result. A healthy, loving, satisfying relationship. Work that doesn't feel like work  and pays my bills. Work that uses my gifts and talents, feels purposeful, and that I enjoy. Living simply and beautifully amongst the trees, birds, and frogs...  READ MORE

Related Article:  "Live with Ease"