rio award

The Nurturing Remains: Refreshing Gidget’s Memorial Marker

Posted by Barbara Techel

Yesterday John and I spent most of the day refreshing the gardens around our house and Joyful Pause Cottage with chocolate-colored mulch. We will finish the rest today. Yay!

This marker in a shape of a heart with a small heart-shaped rock in the center, a sacred spot I can see right outside my cottage window when I’m at my writing desk, is where my sweet Gidget rests. Her heart within mine forever. Though I see the big heart as hers because that was truly who she was – she had such a large heart and capacity for love.

May 11th will mark two years since she moved on for greater travels. The ache of missing her isn’t as acute anymore. Her spirit is quieter now and her visits from the other side not as frequent. But I still sometimes sit in quiet moments and bring up in my mind favorite times with her. It always brings me a great deal of joy and comfort.

To place new mulch over the spot where she rests I found it a sacred and welcoming opportunity to gently set the stones aside, brushing away the dead debris and refreshing the area with fresh mulch. With each stone, I put back into place I did so with a deep appreciation and love as I remembered Gidget and all her wise teachings, silliness, and being the best cuddler ever.

Sometimes it’s hard to believe I’ve actually gone almost two whole years without another dog. There are times I really miss a dog companion, while other times I’m okay. I continue to trust (though sometimes I have to remind myself) that when the time is right I will know.

In honor of the two-year passing of Gidget and the recent Rio Award for our book, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am, I’ve been working on a special project. I’m recording a short video with an excerpt from each chapter of our book, along with an extra bit of discussion, that will be available on my Youtube channel. My hope is to release the first video on May 11th. So I hope you’ll stay tuned!

As I woke this morning thinking about how good it felt to renew Gidget’s memorial marker yesterday, I was reminded once again of how alive I feel when I can nurture that which I love. Though Gidget isn’t with me on this earthly plane I found that gently and lovingly attending to her place of rest was an enriching way in which I stay connected with her.

And my nurturing her sacred space of peace and all that she means to me, in turn, brought peace and nurturing to my heart.

XO

Barb

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“I’m Fine Just the Way I Am” Receives Rio Award from Dog Writers Association of Amercia

Posted by Barbara Techel

Sunday night with a fire in the woodstove, an adult beverage in hand, and John sitting across from me on the sofa, we tuned in on Facebook live to watch as Dog Writers Association of America (DWAA) announced the winners of the 2020 writing competition.

Since 1935 DWAA has been helping writers spread the word about all things dog. What’s not to love about that, right?

Every year they sponsor this competition to recognize the best essays, articles, blogs, websites, photos, and books, plus a new category this year from young writers.

I’m not sure if it was because of Covid and everyone had more time to write plus the fact many were home more with their pets, but the host, Carol Bryant shared that this year they received many more entries than usual.

I was honored when I received notice late last year that I was a nominee in two categories for my latest memoir, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am:

Regular Category

Human/Animal Bond

Special Award Category

Rio Award – profiles a dog who changed someone’s life in a profoundly positive way sponsored by award-winning journalist, Jen Reeder and her husband, Bryan Fryklund in honor of their beloved Labrador retriever mix, Rio.

No matter what, I was honored to have been placed among the nominees. Though secret be told, my heart was really drawn to the Rio Award – I could just feel something deep and special about it and though I don’t know Jen and Bryan or their story with Rio, it just felt right at home in my heart and the impact dogs have had on my life.

So yes, truth be told, I was thinking how lovely it would be to win the Rio award. And just before they announced the winner of the award, my heart began to flutter, and when they announced my name, yup, I got very emotional and teary-eyed. I’m not ashamed to admit to that!  🙂

Writing I’m Fine Just the Way I Am was one of the hardest books I’d written to date in regards to sharing the shame I’d carried for most of my life that repeated often in my life in different circumstances. But it was Gidget, my dear, sweet, and wise Buddha dog who so lovingly walked beside me to help me heal.

And so it was beautiful to be recognized in this way.

After my name was announced I jumped up from my chair, ran to what I call my ‘wall of love’ with photos of all the dogs I’ve had to date in my life and photos of John and myself. I grabbed the photo of Gidget and said, “We did, Gidget! We did it!” and I kissed the photo of her.

The next morning lying in bed, I took a moment to connect with Gidget and thank her once again for all she was (and still is!) to me. In my heart, I saw myself rubbing her belly, and kissing the side of her face, both of which I could never get enough of doing when she was here on the physical plane.

A big congratulations to all the nominees and winners – and in the end – I’d say without a doubt in my mind that we are all winners for the opportunity to have the love of animals in our lives. 

XO

Barb