This morning listening to a meditation by Sarah Blondin that accompanies her book, Heart-Minded, I was guided to imagine what grace looks like to me. Once the image was in my mind’s eye Sarah then invited me to feel worthy of that image.

How often it is we don’t feel worthy or worthy of grace, isn’t it? I certainly understand this as it was my journey just a few short years ago and one in which I chronicled in my newest memoir, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am.

So perhaps it will come as no surprise that the image that came to my mind of grace is one of my dog, Gidget, and the image I saw of her resting in her dog car seat as she lovingly looks over at me.

But today, with this sweet image in my mind, Sarah guided me to a deeper understanding of grace. For me, when that actual moment occurred with Gidget (which happened more than once) while so very sweet, I didn’t recognize the full impact of its meaning then. But I was reminded during this meditation time of how far I’ve come and the teaching Gidget instilled in me.

This moved me to tears because in one way I wish I could have recognized this moment of grace with Gidget when it was actually happening. But you see, this is the gift of Gidget that keeps expanding in my heart even though she’s now been gone for over fourteen months.

My little Buddha Dog, so very wise in such a tiny body, was looking at me in this way because she wanted for me to really see myself – to see what she saw – and to accept that I indeed was worthy – she knew this and she took it upon her sweet and wise knowing self to reflect this back to me often in hopes that eventually I’d come to see and accept this.

There were so many moments of grace with Gidget and the one that will remain forever embedded in my heart is her gift in helping me know that I was always worthy even when I’d lost my way. Now living from this new awareness, I experience so many more moments of grace.

As I was writing this post I was nudged to look up the symbolism of the meaning of the name Gidget which is:

Gidget means Small Girl and is of American origin. … Name created for the main character in Frederick Kohner’s 1957 novel “Gidget, The Little Girl With Big Ideas.”

She was indeed the little dog with a big mission that guided me to feel so much more whole. 

xo,

Barbara