Mr. Squirrel has been quite the entertainment for me this morning from the view out my writing cottage window.
I first observed him slinking up the deck railing, almost appearing flat. At first I thought something was wrong with him and became concerned. But it could have to do with it being so windy out. I’m not sure.
But then when I opened the door to my cottage he took off running to the tree…and there he froze…blending right into the bark of the tree…well, sort of. Trying to be in disguise, but that wind swirled his tail around giving him away.
I had to chuckle quietly to myself while he stayed in that position for what seemed the longest time.
I know many think squirrels are a nuisance, but I really enjoy watching them.
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Mother Nature had a miracle in store for me today. I awoke at 4am. After trying to go back to sleep, I gave up and got up a little after 5am.
Out to my writing cottage by 6:15am I drew two oracle cards and one of my SoulCollage cards. From the Soul Coaching deck by Denise Linn the card Miracles presented itself. And the message to let go of expectations of what you might define as miracle is and to just be open to unexpected miracles.
Okay, got it.
Half-way through my Yoga practice, in boat pose, gazing out my windows with a gully of trees about 15 ft. from my cottage, here comes a hawk, skillfully and ever so gracefully within that small space, who glided right past my windows!
WOW!
Yup! Right out loud I said, Wow! And oh, how my heart smiled. That indeed was a miracle! I’ve had my writing cottage since 2009 and not once have a I seen a hawk fly right in front of my window and so close like this one did.
And another miracle? I didn’t even falter during boat pose as I was stunned in that moment for that beautiful miracle that graced me with his magnificent presence.
What a way to start the day!
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I was deeply moved by a post on author Jon Katz’ blog this morning. So much so, I’m still having tearful moments as I write this.
They aren’t tears of sadness, though some bittersweet. But tears of recognition – of understanding – of having been in this space – and have come away from it profoundly changed.
Jon’s border collie, Red, who so many have come to love, is dealing with an unknown illness right now. A therapy dog who has touched so many lives he is also the spirit dog here at this time marking a passage in Jon’s life.
Having talked with a healer and animal communicator this morning, Jon wrote this:
Kimberly was direct, she told me that my challenge now was to recognize Red’s exhaustion and discomfort, and to give him the time he needs to rest and to heal.
There was a time in my life when I would not have been able to hear this, I was too broken myself, but I know Kimberly and trust her, and she simply went to the heart of it with me and with Red.
This stirred my heart with much emotion remembering my work with my paralyzed dachshund, Frankie, who was in a wheelchair, and touched so many lives herself. And without a doubt in every fiber of my being, she came here to help me heal – though I didn’t recognize it at first – and that gift would continue to unfold as we had a shared purpose and mission.
The recognition in realizing I was sensing she was slowing down in 2011 – she was ready to retire. Her time was coming to an end and my life, and our life as I’d come to love it, was about to change. And I didn’t know how I’d go on without her.
But in those last six months, and for months afterwards, the whisper in my heart that didn’t want to surface or admit to was that I too, was ready to slow down and move on. And it was also in learning to let go of what was, and to accept that Frankie wouldn’t live forever, and that I’d be okay.
It opened my heart to understanding more than before that with the gut-wrenching pain of loss, finding our way back to gratefulness of what was, was the whole point of our journey. How blessed I was to have had the opportunities I did with her.
How blessed I was to have this spirit dog, who forever changed my life for the better. It was imperative that I recognize and honor her wish to now retire and live out her days next to my side as I wrote the memoir of our journey.
This too, an enriching gift, of days with her all to myself. To give thanks for all the compassion she not only showed me, but others.
And getting to this place of not wallowing in her passing, but in the bliss that she brought to my life, that her gift lives on… and her spirit fills me each and every time I think of her.
And I’m grateful when my heart gets stirred from a post like Jon’s – a reminder of a time that was excruciatingly difficult, but with time I can now look back and my heart smiles with such joy from the love of Frankie.
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