healing

My Reaction to “Charlotte’s Web” Being Named as a Banned Book

Why did you do all this for me?’ Wilbur asked. ‘I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.’ ‘You have been my friend,’ replied Charlotte. ‘That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die… By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle.

Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.”

~From Charlotte’s Web by Elwyn Brooks, “E.B.

Honestly. Banned?! What the heck?!

When I saw this post on Facebook the other day I was sad and mad all at the same time.

Then I was happy to see the reason to read the book included on the banner.

One of my all time favorite books as a child, and yes, I’ve even re-read it a few times in my adult years, as well as watched the film a few times also. I know I’m not alone.

Still thinking about this two days later it flashed through my mind the beautiful healing I had a few years ago with Spider that led me to uncover a deeper meaning and in relation to Charlotte’s Web. I felt called to write about this and shed some more light on the profound power of animal wisdom.

Because honestly, really, one of the reasons this book is banned is due to the “portrayal of talking animals?” What has happened to encouraging and instilling imagination in our children?! This is what creates the potential of a world where adults can live from the core of their hearts and be who we truly are. Something we have been sadly lacking in many cases for many years.

And as someone who has had (and continues to!) deep and meaningful connections with animals, and yes ‘hearing’ them, this just really has me shaking my head in deep disappointment. I wouldn’t be where I am today were it not for the animals that share the planet with us. They’ve been my confidants, my healers, and my companions who have loved me unconditionally.

Okay. I think you can tell this has me a bit fired up.

So, back to Spider and Charlotte’s Web and a healing that occurred for me.

It was back in 2019 when I agreed to take part in an exercise for a book that was being written by my friend, Dawn, called Shadow Animals – How Animals We Fear Can Help Us Heal, Transform, and Awaken.

The animal I feared that I chose to work with was spider.

I was taken through a series of questions.

When asked what I most dislike about spiders I said that they are fast, sneaky, and creepy.

I then shared with Dawn how spiders are creepy that had me drilling down deeper and how this makes me feel dirty. I was surprised by my sharing that and wondered what that was about.

Describing spider as sneaky made me feel like they are hiding something from me. And fast for me was about a control issue because I feel as if I can’t control them when they move toward me so fast.

As we explored this more, I shared, in part, how trust is big for me and that it takes a lot for me to trust another person.

Upon further reflection describing spider as creepy which led to my sharing that they feel dirty led me to the memory of my childhood wound of abuse. Because the situation was creepy and felt dirty plus fast and sneaky. I also felt no control over what was happening.

It was a rush of emotions that moved through me quite quickly.

After the initial exercise Spider would continue to bring insight for me.

Spider in one aspect represented trauma. But something that surprised me when invited to reflect on what Spider may offer as a gift or teaching, I was reminded of the book and film, Charlotte’s Web. How I loved that Charlotte was an advocate for Wilbur, listening to him, and assuring him all would be okay. She was just so kind and loving.

It was during that time that I’d watch the film again and found myself in tears for the unveiling of yet another layer of the trauma that was ready to be released.

And over time with inner work and reaching out for help, I realized how I became the Charlotte of my own life, listening to the scared little girl within me. The one who couldn’t speak or share her feelings of what had happened.

So spider, while yes, can represent the difficult and shadow aspects of self, Charlotte being the gentle and kind teacher helped set me free with another layer of pain that was released.

And I come full circle now to the line in the quote above that has my eyes filling with tears as I write this:

By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle.”

This is what animals have done time and time again for me and for so many others too. And I will always take a stand to share their wisdom.

And why banning Charlotte’s Web does so much more harm than good. And I just had to share my thoughts. Because seriously, the world is not black and white or this or that. The world speaks to us in so many extraordinary ways and I really feel the banning of this book – and the censorship of so many other things too – is a wake up call to each of us.

Thanks for listening!

P.S. and yes! to what my friend and colleague, Cara Gubbins said in her reaction: “Let’s all read it again and share it with a kid not just because it’s a great book but also to counteract this weird censorship that is sweeping our nation.”

XO

Barb

    

Online Event & Workshop: Honoring Your Inner Child through the Wisdom of Animals and Oracles

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4th, 2023
10am-11:30am CST
11:00am-12:30am EST
8am-9:30am PST

During this Special Event & Interactive Workshop:

  • Christine will interview me about my transformational journey and connection with animals and more!
  • I will be pulling some cards from my new Animal Reflections Healing Oracle deck focusing on the inner child we all have within us. And you will get to experience each card on a personal level…
  • I’ll share some insight about each card pulled and then provide a writing prompt for you to tap into your own intuition and how the animals are here for you (and your inner child) at this time.
  • Q & A plus sharing time.
  • Giveaway during the live event: A drawing for one lucky winner to receive a one-to-one oracle reading with me.
  • During live event and via replay: A special discount offer on my one-to-one oracle reading sessions.

REGISTER HERE

 

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Wisconsin Wolf and Wildlife. Learn more here about what this grassroots organization does to advocate for the preservation and protection of wolves in Wisconsin.

End of an Era

StrivingEventually the individual ego’s drive to “make things happen” falls away, replaced with a relaxed, trusting openness to answers as they arise. Thank you, Divine, for letting me move with the Flow!” The Wild Offering Oracle by Tosha Silver

This keyboard. It has seen me through the writing of two children’s books, three memoirs, countless blog posts, and the creation of an oracle deck. Plus just the general administration tasks of one’s life. 

As I cleared the clutter and organized Joyful Pause Cottage studio last week, I realized it was time to say goodbye to my keyboard. Many of the letters are worn away. The “foot” on the right side that helps to prop it up had broken about a year ago and a box was placed underneath to help keep it in place.

I’d wondered why I put up with the fact that it often caused me a bit of angst when I’d have to yet again adjust the box after the keyboard fell off it. Those little annoying things can eat away at our energy.

And just like that. It was time. Time to bid it farewell. While I’m typing this one last blog post on it, the new one will arrive today.

With that came all these emotions of what this keyboard has seen me through!

Yesterday in the monthly animal wisdom oracle reading I recorded for Youtube, I shared how I’m in this space of no new projects on my plate as we move into 2023. For about the last 15 years I was either in the middle of finishing a book or beginning one and the same with my oracle deck project I’d been working on the last two years.

But nothing has surfaced into my mind’s eye of what it is I may want to create next.

It feels odd, yet nice, though at moments, uncomfortable. Shouldn’t I be doing something?

Diann, a reader of my blog left this comment on Youtube: “I too for the first time since I can remember am in the same place and I am working through all the feelings around that. I many times instinctually feel like I should jump into something and then get this friendly intuitive reminder to just be…and be ok with just being for right now. This is so foreign to me but I am trying to remain mindful to be patient as I await what is to come next. Very vulnerable place!!” 

She hit the nail on the head by sharing how it is a vulnerable place. Because our culture places so much attention and almost a stamp of honor when one is busy and striving. But this vulnerable space is also an invitation to be with all those uncomfortable feelings because as I’ve experienced time and time again when one comes out the other side, you see and understand the growth in learning to just be in those feelings.

And while I, or Diann, or perhaps you too, may not have a new project on our plates, perhaps this is the project – of allowing this wide open space and just being in it.

It was after I’d read Diann’s comment that I pulled a card from The Wild Offering Oracle. This is a deck I keep on my table in my bathroom and pull a card for the week. I’d realized I’d not done that since about a month ago when I’d pulled the last card.

How perfectly the card pulled with just the right message which I shared above. A stamp of confirmation to let the ego’s drive fall to the side and in its place, a more relaxed and trusting openness to come in. Not something many of us are used to.

But a call to just take it for a test drive and see what comes of it. As I’m learning to once again be with at this time. And as I say goodbye to an end of an era with my worn-out keyboard and await the new one to arrive…and the possibilities of what may come.

XO

Barb

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