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The Changing Light and Contemplation

Posted by Barbara Techel

The Changing Light and Contemplation

I enjoy this time of year and how the light is casting different shadows and landing in new places it hadn’t all summer. Like this photo of Gidget with the light falling across her face, looking like she is in contemplation, I feel in that same place, too.

I’m not yet ready to let go of summer, while at the same time, ready to move into the season of cooler air, bursts of color, and a time I like being outdoors more while I also feel drawn to hunker down at home, too. But these last few weeks I’ve felt suspended in this in-between place.  Perhaps because there are a few weeks of summer to go, but yet I yearn for fall on the near horizon.

It’s like a tug of my heart trying to hold on, while a pull of my heart wanting to bring in the season that is my most favorite. But the light…the light is my reminder that it is on its way. And that this in-between place I feel will soon melt into leaves crunching under my feet, a cool breeze blowing through my hair, cozy nights wrapped in a blanket around the chiminea, and nights with the moon so full and bright it takes my breath away.

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Smiling Buddha Dog. You Made My Heart Smile Just When I Needed it Most.

Posted by Barbara Techel

2014-03-06 15.10.57 eA big part of me is still struggling with the blog post I shared yesterday. I wanted to be honest and tell you this. It has weighed heavily on me since sharing Daisy’s story yesterday.

While I wanted to help Daisy by sharing her story to help raise medical funds, I realize how much it personally affects me. I’m a highly sensitive person so acts of violence are hard for me to hear, see, or read about. It is rare I will read stories of violence against animals, because it just cuts right through me.

I rarely watch the news either because of the negativity. It affects my psyche and has too much of a negative affect on me, so for my own health, I try to stay away from it as much as possible, as well as cruel things that happen to animals.

I may have likely not even come across Daisy’s story, but someone had personally sent it to me. It’s not the first one I’ve gotten sent to me and usually I won’t read them. While I’m not upset with the person who sent it, I realize again how stories like this affect me deeply.

It was also a reminder to me that I want my blog and Facebook page a place where people can come to for something positive to their day. While sharing Daisy’s story was positive in that I wanted to help her new owner raise some funds, unfortunately the comments that followed on Facebook really disturbed me.

Going through photos on my camera today, I found this photo I had taken of Gidget last week. It said to me that yes, peace and light is how I want to be in this world. I also believe that by being so it does spread that energy of vibration out into the universe affecting others in a positive way. I may never know who is affected in a good way from it, but I have faith it does.

I trust and know that Daisy will be fine and will get the help that she needs– with or without me. I also hope the very disturbed person who did what they did will get the help they need. But because these stories seem to swim in hatred, I can’t share them in the future. The issues around them are just so huge and it overwhelms me.

So while I’m not ignorant to what goes on in our world, I also know  there is much good that goes on too. That is what I want to share and be a part of.

I want to be Joyful Paws and continue to share all the amazing lessons our animals teach us. In doing so, I believe this will lead to less violence. I absolutely believe without a doubt that animals are here to teach us peace, compassion and understanding.  We have a long way to go at times, but I have hope we will get there.  And I want to continue to do my part in this way through my blog in sharing the good stories.

I have my smiling buddha dog, Gidget to remind me of that, as well as my sweet girl, Kylie too, who centers me when I need it most.

Helping Daisy the Paralyzed Dachshund Who was Stabbed & Praying for Peace.

Posted by Barbara Techel

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Today on Facebook I shared something I wouldn’t normally share. The very sad and violent story of a paralyzed dachshund named, Daisy that was brutally stabbed (she is alive, being treated and doing okay).

I won’t normally share stories such as this and add to the hatred and negativity that always seems to come from it. We have so many stories like this in our world and it’s my wish to be a positive light of hope instead of adding to more negativity.

But my heart couldn’t stop thinking about Daisy. I wanted to help by sharing her story on my page in hopes that her new loving caretaker can raise the needed funds to help pay her medical bills.  There is also justice that is wanting to be served for the person who did this awful act so he pays for what he did, as well as, stricter laws are put into place to keep this from happening again and again.

I in no way condone what this person did. Not one bit. I can’t even begin to wrap my head around why in the world someone would do this?  But one of the reasons I don’t like to share these stories is because often times it breeds more hate and violence.

That isn’t the answer. While I believe there are some who just can’t be helped in this life time, many can. To me this is a huge cry for help from this person’s soul that is clearly in pain and is broken beyond what many of our human minds can even comprehend. It actually makes me want to cry because it is so sad on so many levels.

Is he beyond help? I don’t know. But to act out with words of hatred toward him, I believe, only adds to the violence that has already occurred and we bring more dark and negativity into the world.  He needs help!  If he can do this to an animal, imagine what he could do to a human being?  Should he be walking the streets?  No, he needs help.

I don’t know the answer of how to get him the help he does need- as well as many others. But my heart tells me that hate does not solve our problems. It makes them so much worse.

I find myself in a situation again where I wouldn’t have normally written about these things on my blog for fear of what others would think. I also don’t have the answer as to how to help people like this that act out in these terrible ways.

But by saying nothing, I feel just adds to the hatred and negativity. I felt compelled to say how I feel today not to condone what he did, but to help bring light and love to a situation that clearly needs it, just like so many cases like this that we hear day in and day out.

I pray for peace and healing for everyone involved with this. I truly do. And especially for our world so that horrible acts like this will someday no longer exist.