While I’ve shared often my belief that animals often have messages for us, as I’ve experienced, whether in the wild, that live in our home, or we see in images, sometimes they just are. Meaning, there’s not always a message or insight to be gleaned from them.
Such as this morning. I was brushing my teeth, wandering around the house. I can’t stand still and often move about for the two minutes my electric toothbrush does its job. Today I found myself gravitating to the front door. Upon glancing at my flowers, the sun shining brightly, my eye landed on Mr. Tree Frog in the most unusual spot.
There he was, his tiny derriere hanging over the pole, while he seemed to be surveying the neighborhood atop the pole that holds my decorative flag. This flag, a new one I just purchased on Sunday. The other one I had for quite a few years which was now faded from the sunlight.
As the toothbrush whirled in my mouth I chuckled out loud. It was just too cute! While I took it as Mr. Tree Frog approved of the new flag, it was such a delightful sight that just made my morning.
No message really. Or perhaps just the universe’s way via Mr. Tree Frog, letting me know to not take life too seriously and have some fun. Maybe a message for you too?
Whatever the case may be, I’ve been smiling all morning long and I hope this brought a smile to you, too.
It used to be that every morning I’d tuck Gidget under my right arm, holding her like a football, and head out to my writing cottage, where I move through my ritual of centering myself for the day by meditating, practicing yoga, and journaling.
These days all is the same, but one thing is different and it has been for quite awhile now. Gidget more often than not stays behind to sleep either in her bed in the living room or in the kitchen.
It occurred to me some time ago that perhaps I wasn’t honoring what she truly wanted. From my first dachshund, Frankie, to Joie, who was only with me a short time, it was what I did since 2009 when my writing cottage was first built – a dachshund tucked under my arm as I sauntered out to my special space.
As I reflect on this need to have a dog beside me, in many ways a security blanket, like Linus in the Peanuts cartoon who always had to have his blanket.
When Gidget came to live with John and me, I wanted a companion dog in the sense I wouldn’t be sharing her with others like I did with Frankie as a therapy dog team and visiting schools, and as I had tried to with Joie also. I was ready to let go of that phase in my life.
With each dog, I’ve grown in ways I couldn’t have predicted. Gidget being just my companion dog and what I wanted, I also sensed in her a streak of independence when I first met her. But for the first few years, struggling with my own identity, I didn’t always honor her to be who she needed to be. It wasn’t something I did consciously.
But I see it more clearly now. While at first it made me sad that Gidget wasn’t with me during this time in the morning I consider so sacred, I now find myself with a new understanding of her, as well as myself.
Perhaps in a way, Gidget’s choice to stay behind as I make my way out to my writing cottage is her way of honoring my needs – sensing something I couldn’t first see. That time truly alone in my own space as important for me and my growth. And time for her to be alone as important to her well-being too.
The sadness I first felt has since been replaced with feeling good about honoring Gidget’s needs in this way. I also feel gratitude overtake my heart for her teaching of helping me to become even stronger in who I am, guiding me to let go of an old story, and relish in the parts of me that are emerging that welcome my own independence.
She truly is such a remarkable animal guide for me and I see that more and more everyday. I can’t help but think that when I return into the house today, I will bring my hands together in front of my heart, and say to her “Namaste – “The divine in me honors the divine in you.”
And with that, Namaste to each of you too…and thank you for being a part of my community.
Big Cat Wisdom comes shining thru the cut out heart on my deck.
As each generation comes into their wisdom we have the opportunity to expand more than those before us. When I think about the many who walked before me – my parents and grandparents – and those before them- each did the best they knew how given what they knew at the time and the tools available then.
Being strong for many older than me was about not talking about their emotions and just “dealing” with them as I’d often heard growing up. This often meant not allowing feelings to come to the surface, really feeling them, openly looking for the lessons in hurts and wounds, and/or discussing challenges or grief.
Having just gone through the work of feeling many emotions I kept buried, facing a childhood wound that was lodged in my psyche for many years, I can say I feel stronger than I’ve ever felt before.
I’ve come to realize that being strong is about embracing and feeling every single emotion – even resentment and anger. Even though “good girl” conditioning part of me fought doing so.
In reviewing an animal reading I had done as a gift to myself this past January, it’s Lion who came in with me at birth, who has been walking beside me since my last birthday, and will depart next month when Owl swoops in. Lion is also the animal with me for the month of June.
A page from my Bullet Journal. Something creatively new I’m playing with!
I’m in deep gratitude for what I now understand having just walked through the fire of my own fears and find myself in this new space of strength.
Being strong isn’t about burying uncomfortable emotions, but being gentle and compassionate with ourselves as we work with, and move through them.
Being strong is about answering the call of our souls by honoring the sacredness of going inward to sift through the details with great care and kindness.
Being strong is about not worrying how others may perceive you.
Being strong means reaching out to those you feel safe with so that you can be heard.
Being strong is about taking your new awareness into the world as you choose – whether shouting it from a roof top – or softly moving through your days with the new version of yourself as a vibration that floats out to touch those that need it.
Being strong means that you recognize your need for self-care is at the heart of what matters more than anything.
Being strong is about letting go. Something I let go of last week was National Walk ‘N Roll Dog Day. While bittersweet, I knew in my heart it was time.
Being strong is about soaking in all the joy of this precious moment knowing it will never come again – but this…this is the gift that opens a channel for more gifts to come into our lives.
Turning to the Oracle I asked the cards, What do we need to know about being strong?
Poised #48 is from the Wisdom of the Oracle. For me this card speaks to the necessity of going inward during a challenging time, honoring everything I’m feeling, accepting, practicing self-care with gentleness toward myself and incorporating healing modalities that call to me. To me, this is what strong is about. When I honor this process for myself, it leads me to being more poised for the next step in my life’s journey, now stronger than before with a new awareness and deeper wisdom to share.
Mouse from Messages from Your Animal Spirit Guides reminds me that during dark and challenging times, it’s easy to overlook the details since we tend to want to be through our pain sooner, rather than later. But it’s in the details our thoughts, patterns, and feelings which are clues – and if we follow the bread crumb trail – and pay attention – we eventually gain access to clarity we couldn’t see or feel before.
