Thank you for the outpouring of love for my beautiful wee Bo. The impact he had on those around him is truly amazing,
Along with his “cuteness” perhaps it was Bo’s forgiving nature, sense of loyalty, loving heart, enthusiastic affection, and his keen awareness of who needed nurturing, that drew us to him. Perhaps we saw Bo’ as a reflection of what we could be.
Our beloved pets love us exactly as we are, never asking us to change. Without wealth or fortune, the gifts they offer are perhaps the most valuable and precious. They gift us with purpose and allow us to feel the beauty of loving and caring for something other than ourselves. They show us what compassion, selflessness, devotion, loyalty, gratitude, friendship and mindfulness look like. My god they see us for who we really are, and they love us anyway, and that’s priceless.
They don’t overanalyze or overthink anything. They live in the moment, don’t look back, don’t look forward, they are fully present no matter what they’re doing.
Our non-human companions provide us with some of the best insight and lessons on how we can be better humans.
It’s due to one tiny dog, and observing how he interacted with the world around him, that I am kinder, more loving, patient, forgiving, and more atune to those in need of compassion and understanding..
Bo taught me how important it is to slow down, to be present, to stop and take in the view, to lift my gaze to the sky and drink in the sun, the clouds, the moon, the stars and surrender to the winds of change.
Yes, one small dog with an enormous heart, gave me more than I ever thought was possible or probably deserved. He taught me how to be a human, in its most tender and humblest form.
On that note, I leave this final tribute to my tiny but mighty teacher Bo’. The best of me was born after he came into my life.
Yup, if you want to learn how to be a better human, get a dog. ❤️🐾🐶🌈. Love Toni
Find the “still point” between the outside world and your inner peace.
This point may be a cozy chair, a bathtub, a moss covered log, a park bench or a soft place in the sand.
Take time to pause at this place every day and remind yourself that; ~ what’s happening outside of you, is not as important as what’s happening inside you, ~ the way the outside world sees and treats you, is not as important as how you see and treat yourself.
This point of stillness, is where you pull back the veil and uncover wisdom, develop insight about who you are and what you’re here to do. This point of stillness is your personal cathedral, the place you go to both rest and grow.
The gentleness of human touch, the tastes, textures, aromas, views and songs of life, savour these things, take them in slowly.
You’ll miss the most beautiful and best parts of life if you’re madly racing to get to the finish line. No matter how fast or slow you go, you’ll arrive at the end exactly when you’re supposed to.
In the mean time, take time to wander through the forest or in fields of daisies. Stop and inhale the lavender, savour; the coffee, the cake, the company, the slow dance, the view of hummingbirds at your window or whatever else greets you on your path.
Life is good, really good, when it’s seen, felt and inhaled slowly, so, slow your pace, slow your breath and tread gently on this day and every day that follows.
It’s not uncommon to feel lost, adrift or alone when facing something new and unknown.
You might feel fearful about tackling this new “thing” or new chapter in your life because it’s not familiar.
But you’re okay, you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, on a path, your path, towards something new, something different, something you’ve never experienced before. It might even turn out better than you expect.
The first day of school, starting a new job, the moment you found out you were going to be a parent, the day an important relationship ended, the day your doctor gave you news that was less than pleasant or the loss of a loved one; any of these events would feel scary, shocking, uncomfortable or unfamiliar. Good news is; you’ve already survived a few of these things. You used your inner compass, figured them out and found your way.
So this new thing, new relationship, new way of life, new whatever “it” is that’s facing you, embrace it, even if it feels scary, unfamiliar or temporarily painful, step into it knowing you’re not lost, you’ve just never been “this way” before.
Once upon-a-time there was a girl. She believed in herself. She believed in everyone around her. She believed in kindness, compassion, gratitude, magic and love. Her light was beautiful and bright.
One day she went into the world and came upon an angry, soulless beast. He looked at her and ripped her beliefs from her soul and handed her a sack filled with FEAR; ~ Fear of judgment ~ Fear of alienation and rejection ~ Fear of heartache ~ Fear of her authentic self, her own creativity, ~ Fear of her potential and her light
He demanded that she never put the sack down. She saw others carrying similar sacks so she complied, she thought it was what she was supposed to do.
So she carried that sack for years. It was heavy and weighed her down.
Deep inside she ached for who she knew she was supposed to be.
The memories of who she authentically was kept her soul always hopeful. But, too afraid to BE herself, she continued to carry the sack.
Years went by and she met the beast again. He was weak and haggard and she asked him, “Why did you ask me to carry these things?”
“Because,” he said, “I was afraid of what your beautiful soul might accomplish, I was jealous of the light that radiated from you. I wanted your light for myself. I wanted to shine and wanted you to always be heavy with fear. I wanted to control your light.”
“But you’re not shining, you’re not radiating my light?” she replied. “Yes I know,” said the beast. “You’re light belongs to you, it will only shine for you.” “Who are you?” she boldly asked?” “I am no thing. I am no person. I am no place. I am the manifestation of collective human fear, greed, anger, jealousy and hatred.”
In that moment she realized he had no power over her. It was she that had given her power away to him. She dropped the sack. She stared into his cold eyes. Oddly she was not angry, she was not spiteful, she was grateful. She did not slay the beast, she didn’t have to, she kissed him on the forehead, stroked his cheek and left him there to die in a pool of his own darkness. And she lived happily ever after.
Stop feeding a beast that doesn’t exist. The fear, the anger, whatever it is, it’s weighing you down. Let it go,
Some people come into our lives not because they need us, but because we need them.
They may shelter or guide us through the storms in our lives, be the mirror reflecting the unhealthy attitudes and behaviours we need to let go of, they may shine their light on answers we’ve been seeking, they may bring us pain causing us to make important shifts or changes in how we live, or, they may bring us comfort when we need it most.
Let’s greet each other with gentle curiosity, kindness and gratitude, knowing we’ve shown up in each other’s lives for a reason, even if the reasons are painful.
That emptiness you sometimes feel? You’re not alone, we all feel it from time-to-time. It may feel like sadness, a sense of wanting, disappointment or loneliness. Perhaps this feeling is really our souls creating space for; ~ new things, ~ new ideas, ~ new adventures, ~ or new people, to arrive. Don’t try to fill the emptiness with busyness or noisy distractions. Be mindful of it. Observe it, sit with it, walk-ride-hike-paddle-sail-jog or dance with it. As you do, visualize your heart opening up to receive the things that are meant for you. There’s a season for all things and all people, to come in and out of our lives. As painful as I know this might feel, let them come and, let them go.
Not all of life’s storms are destructive. Some come to shake us up, so we can put things back together, not the way they were, but, the way they’re meant to be.
Good things grow from the messiest parts of our lives. Every challenge, loss and disappointment brings new opportunities.
There really is calm, light and maybe a few rainbows, after every storm. Yup, after~every~single~ one.
Many things happen when we sit quietly and do nothing. The earth spins, the sun shines, spring turns to summer, summer transitions to autumn, leaves change colour, the snow comes, it goes, clouds burst open to feed the earth, trees and plants pump out oxygen so we can breathe, and, we do absolutely nothing to make any of this happen. Nothing.
Your heart beats, your blood flows and your lungs provide the oxygen you need to live this life, without you even thinking about it, without you having to force it and without you having to “want it.” We accept these things, we trust the process, we even marvel at it.
The energy managing this system of continual transformation is happening within all of us, all of the time. It doesn’t matter if you call this universal force science or religion, the fact is, it’s there.
It’s when we resist this force, and try to “force” our will and power over things and people, that life, humanity and the planet fall into chaos. Yep, I’m gonna say it …~ “The force is in you.” Let it do its thing.
Maybe we all have to stop trying so hard to force our will, our power, our greed, and our beliefs, over others and be mindful of a greater more peaceful force already at work ☮️. Like they said in the 60s “go with the flow.”
The Whimsey Angel 