Healing Is A Slow Process

 The poster says:  Healing takes time, and asking for help is a courageous step. —-Unknown

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Like many people, over my lifetime, I have had to deal with different illnesses or physical situations that required some lengthy healing time.  Yes, our bodies do regenerate.  Yes, western medicine fixes many things that are broken, however, ultimately it is our own bodies that finish the healing.  We must allow the body the time and the energy to heal.  Many of us interfere with healing by eating or drinking the foods that interfere with the healing, or interfere by exercising too early or not getting enough sleep.  There are many factors that help and hinder healing.

Early on in my life, I learned that I did not need to do all the work and research by myself.  I asked for help.  It seemed that as I asked for help with whatever issue I was facing, the healing happened easier, if not quicker.  

Do I have any suggestions about asking for help?  Yes.  Here are some things that I found helpful.

1.  Specialists are great but even they can get it wrong.  Trust your body to tell you what is wrong and do not let anyone tell you that you are wrong if your body sends different messages than what a doctor is saying.  If I had listened to a doctor who kept telling me I was suffering from stress, I would not have found out that I had an inherited condition that could be controlled with a prescription.

2.  Use western medicine and support it with a great naturopath or shaman or medicine woman who can help with natural solutions if they are an alternative to a drug that causes side effects.  There are times when acupuncture, acupressure, reiki, BodyTalk, and all other holistic practices will help speed the healing process.

3.  Listen to your body, especially in recovery.  There is a saying in Qi Gong - No pain is no pain.  In the west, we often think that we need to push into pain and that pain is a badge.  Pain is pain and stops the healing process.  Pain is a blockage. Energy - healing energy does not flow through a blockage.

4.  Learn to stop to rest and/or sleep easily and as often as you can.  If you watch animals that are injured or are ill, they sleep much of the time.  When the body is at rest, the best healing happens because there are not any roadblocks to stop the healing.

5.  Go outside and be in Nature, especially be in a woods or forest or along water.  Healing happens by trees and by rivers.

If you are healing from something, I wish you strength and grace in dealing with your situation.  If you are strong and well, I wish you good fortune to stay healthy and to concentrate on continual healing support for your body.

Blessings,

Judy

Do Not Settle For One Victory

 

The poster says:  Take your victories, whatever they may be, cherish them, use them, but don't settle for them. ---- Mia Hamm

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Have you ever noticed that when you sit and chat with family or friends, that often the topic turns to the successes that a person or people had in the past, and how they mourn them?  They do not ever seem to talk about victories in the present, and there must be some.

So often we look in the mirror of the past that we do not see the present and all the great things that are right before us.  Some of the every day victories that we can celebrate include:

-setting a personal best at an exercise routine that you do whether it is running, walking, weight lifting, pilates, etc.

-walking in nature three out of seven days of the week.  Talk about it.  Celebrate it.

-making it to two out of four games that your child is playing either for school or in a community league.  When you are working, breaking free from work to champion your child is worth celebrating.

-talking to a parent or sibling or good friend who is far away can also be a reason to feel victory when your time is jammed with things that must be done.  

-going shopping when you have been getting groceries and other things delivered. Or, the opposite, you now order things to be delivered to free up some time for other things.  A change is reason to feel a personal victory.

The list can go on.  Please add to it by putting in a comment below.  I see people sigh and list all the things they cannot do.  They do not talk about the things that they have accomplished.  Accomplishments are the way to help you live positively.

Blessings,

Judy

If Love Is Not Provided

 The poster says:  You’ve got to learn to leave the table when love’s no longer being served.  —-Nina Simone

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We wonder why someone or some group of people do not love us.  We blame ourselves.  We must have failed them in some way.  It must be our fault!  

Be assured.  Each of us is loveable.  Each of us is love.  When people deny you love, whether it is your parents, your siblings, old friends or new friends, you need to recognize that the fault is theirs, not yours.  When someone says, ‘if you really loved me, you would do xxxxx.”, you know that they have an agenda that is to manipulate you.  Manipulation or coercion is not love.  It is forcing you to do something that is against your will.  That is not love.  

Love is acceptance without conditions.  That is why so many people are turning to pets because pets love unconditionally.

Blessings,

Judy

Body, Mind, And Soul

I drew three cards from Deborah Koff-Chapin’s deck of SOULCARDS 2.  They represent the Body, Mind and Soul.  I was asking what was going on with my body, my work, and whether that satisfied my soul.

The answer was the three cards.  There are several interpretations.  For me, the indication is to look further to help my Soul.

Perhaps you too, will find an answer in these cards.

Blessings,

Judy

Buddha on Reflecting Love

The problem with interpersonal love is that you are dependent on the other person to reflect love back to you. That’s part of the illusion of separateness. The reality is that love is a state of being that comes from within.

- Ram Dass, “Tuning the Mind” 

We all expect that love will be available, freely, to us, because we are charismatic.  We believe that we are all loveable.  We believe that if we are not loveable, it is the other person’s fault.  We need to love ourselves, and then, everyone loves us! 

Blessings, 

Judy

Owl Messages

The Great Horned Owl has long been a symbol of great wisdom to humans.  Probably because it flies at night and sees clearly in the dark – something that humans cannot do.  

The Great Horned Owl has been coming and sitting in the tree outside our house at night.  It sings a song that is filled with messages that make sense for us to follow.

• Eat only those things that you have grown or caught or worked for… you know that they are healthy
• Live in balance – eat regularly, sleep to heal, and play with your family and friends.  Work only for what you need to keep eating
• Try new things!  Let yourself soar, if only in your imagination.  You will be happy at how high you go.  You will see your life with more clarity.
• Do not try to see through another’s eyes.  Instead, go higher and look down at your self.  It makes a difference.

Blessings,

Judy

We All Fail At Some Things

The poster says:  Just because you fail once doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything. —Marilyn Monroe

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I am hearing about the lack of coping skills that many adults under forty seem to exhibit.  The refrain is “they do not know how to accept and deal with failure”.  In our world, not all of us are going to be able to excel at everything.  We are all unique and we are born with different strengths and weaknesses.  These skills require that we find and mesh with others and thus create the teams that are successful.  No one person can do it all.

Blessings,

Judy
 

You Are Here To FULLY Live Life

The poster says:  Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

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As I watch people aging around me, I notice that the biggest difference between happy people and sad or angry people, is the amount of change that each individual allows in their own life. 

What do I mean?  The happy people are always going and growing.  They learn new things.  They participate in groups or volunteer.  They go beyond what they can or what they have to do to look after themselves.  Many of them are quite active physically in walking, biking, hiking, playing pickle ball or swimming.  The physical activity allows them additional energy to do other things.  When chatting with some of them, they all say that they will give up other things to continue to do the physical activity.  

I think that there is a lot going on about aging that we do not understand and that we can possibly change.  One of the things is going beyond the comfort zone.  What do you think? 

Blessings,

Judy

Take Responsibility

Responsibility is about taking credit for your own actions.  When you blame someone else, then you give your power away.  Giving your power away means that people have no reason to respect you, look up to you, or see you as a valuable friend.  

If you want to change the way people look at you, take responsibility.  It is easy to look at the other person, the circumstances, the scene, or the environment, and say that you are not able to make changes – that others want to limit you.  You and I know that is not true.  Yes, some people may want to bully you.  Don’t let them.

Blessings,

Judy 

Visible Or Not - It Is Achievable

The poster says:  Success is possible and achievable.

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So often the life you lead is because you see things in the mirror of failure.  Try positive thinking.  See things in the mirror as though you do them with zest.  Make the intangible real to your mind, and you have already achieved it.   Success is always available to us, even though it may be in a different route than you imagined.

The biggest mystery is that thoughts are energy.  And, therefore, you are what you create.  This is not new, and it is not either good or bad.  It is a state of being.

The question becomes, would you rather be stuck or rolling?

Blessings,

Judy 

My Soul Says Ward Yourself

The poster says:  Glance backward.  Look heavenward.  Reach outward.  Press onward.   — Thomas S. Monson

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My soul tells me that I must ward myself.  The old meaning of ward was to protect.  I look at this poster and I laugh!  What a contradiction it is!  

Back ward.  Protect yourself from the back, from the past.  That’s good advice.

Out ward.  Protect yourself from the outside and yet you must reach out.  What courage that takes!  Can I do it?  I will have to see.

Heaven ward.  Oh my!  Protect yourself from Heaven, and yet gaze up to it.  It is a measurement of the distance of where I am and where I aspire to go.  Do I have the strength to stay the course?  I know not at this time.

On ward.  Well, I protect myself from going on – that is going forward, and I must yet press to go there.  This is a stasis point, and one place where I do see people getting stuck.  What can I do to move beyond this?  I believe.  I move on.

Blessings,

Judy

My Soul Says “No Limits”

Today my soul speaks to me and asks me to go higher and farther than I have been before.  I accept the challenge.  Yet, I do not know what to expect.

Then, the surprises start coming!  I go into a deeper meditation than ever before.  I do not see everything, yet I see some scenes happen so clearly, beginning to end, before I even start the situation.  I have precognition.  I can change the outcome.  I can touch things that were not touchable for me, yesterday.  

I have grown.

Blessings,

Judy

Donkey on Life

Donkey talks about being the guide that leads you safely over rough ground, through dry terrain, and up the side of mountains.  Donkey teams with you so that you have guidance on:

• Being surefooted
• Being able to go the distance, no matter how hard the struggle
• Being able to push or to pull you up a steep hill
• Being able to survive on just about any food

If Donkey is now coming in to your life, you are very lucky.

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To see more information on Donkey, check out this post - https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2025/03/donkeys-thoughts-for-you.html.

Blessings,

Judy

April 1 And Change

 

The poster says:

If we don’t change, we don’t grow.  If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living. —-Gail Sheehy

April 1 is a commonly called April Fool’s Day.  You can read more about that on this blog post - https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2025/04/april-1-for-love-and-fools.html.

April is the change month.  Everything changes. We move from winter into full tilt spring.  Yes, spring comes earlier in some places.  Where I am, April is when the birds nest, the crocuses are out, and the trees bud.  You can feel the change in the air in people, too.  People are outside more and seem more open and friendly.  

When we talk about change, it means the physical changes of course.  However, it also includes the mental and spiritual changes that happen to folks when they feel the surge of life when they are out in Nature.  Nature has a way of bringing us into balance - getting out of our head and into our heart.  We feel and absorb and grow.

Many blessings,

Judy

Touch The Moon

The Angels say that we are too focused on the material.  To translate, what they mean is that we do not dream the lofty dreams that our Ancestors had.  Instead, we are caught up in texting, tweeting, face-booking, emailing, and gaming.  All things we do with our heads down to our phones, ipads, tablets, or computers.  We stare into technology instead of reaching out to the Universe at large.  

Today, try to touch the Moon.  Imagine all the ways that it might be possible.  What would it mean to you?  To others?  

Blessings,

Judy 

Elk and Friends

Elk always knows where the sweetest grass is, and where the water runs clean and pure.  The legends speak of Elk’s ability to talk with the earth, the rocks, the trees, and all that is with them.  If you look in the picture above, you can see the face of a guardian in the rock face.  The Guardians look after the Earth and the animals.  The Guardians are friends to the Elk, and protect them while their antlers are growing. 

Blessings,

Judy

Appreciate Your Parents

The picture says:   Heartbreaking image by an Iraqi artist taken in an orphanage.  This little girl has never seen her mother, so she drew a mom on the ground and fell asleep with her.  

“Appreciate what you have, since you don’t know what you’ve got until its’s taken away from you….That’s when it is too late.”

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I have nothing that I can add to this.

Blessings,

Judy

Angels Care for the Earth

 

Dear Ones!  You do not realize how often that we walk with you, and how often we care for the Earth, all the animals, for you, and, really, for all Beings on the planet.  This is a very delightful time.  Although we hear you say that it is chaotic, we see huge levels of change.  We see people being kinder and healthier than they were a decade ago.  We see hope, and light, and laughter.  We do see the grimmer things that upset you so.  Remember, these are paths that each participant has written.  These are steps they want to take.  Sometimes it seems that there is no justice, as you call it.  Yet, we see everything in balance.

Try looking at a bigger picture, and you may see the beauty of the way things work.  It is never about you or you or you (as we point fingers at different people); it is about the all, or unity or the Universe.

Love to all of you and peace be with you too.

The Angels

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Blessings,

Judy

Be Still

 

The poster says:  Finding Stillness

Zen meditation, or “zazen” begins with stillness-both of the body and the mind.  This isn’t passive; it’s an active state of being fully present.  Sitting in silence, we create space to observe what arises without distraction.

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When the world seems to busy and crowded and you feel overwhelmed, going to stillness may resolve the problem.  Our being is surrounded by noise from people and machines and from the constant vibrations from cell towers, tv towers, and electrical items in our homes.  For many, meditation is the way to move out of the noise and find a space that is truly yours.

Try it today.

Blessings,

Judy

Spring Equinox March 20 2026

 

When Is the First Day of Spring 2026? In 2026, the March equinox happens on March 20 at 10:46 A.M. EDT. This falls on a Friday and is the astronomical beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn season in the Southern Hemisphere.

Celebrate by hosting a meal with friends or with family.  Have a bonfire and offer up tobacco to the heavens and the spirits.  Set intentions.  Let go of the things that hold you back by releasing them to the fire.

Blessings,

Judy

Black and White

I was sitting on a Zoom call several months ago, and someone said that nothing is ever black and white, quite emphatically. My mind began to spin!  So many things are black and white… horses like the one above, or skunks, or pandas, or penguins, or rabbits, or magpies.  My mind whirled.  Zebras and Holstein cows and Dalmatian dogs and Puffins and Orcas (killer whales).

So what is that special coloration about?  I wondered for a minute.  In the material world, we have created so many things that are black and white like soccer balls and barcodes and cars (police cars).  I began to think that black and white is a warning that we need to look beneath the wrapping to see what is really going on.  Black and white is a warning for us to find our own truth and follow up on it until we are satisfied that we have learned what we need to learn.

Blessings,

Judy

Beaver - Clean Up Your Act!

Beaver has been showing up in strange places.  Mostly, though, she shows up in places that have been contaminated or wrecked in some way.  Her message is clear!  “Clean up your act!” she says.  

The clean up is about getting rid of junk – compressing it down into the smallest component and giving it away.  She also is commenting on the throw away stuff that is so prevalent in the city world.  She wants to get rid of containers that are plastic and harmful.

She points to the north where beavers have built a huge inland lake to clean up the toxicity of the land.  If the animals can do it, you can do it too!

Blessings,

Judy

Mandala

 

   This image comes from Unsplash.com 

What is a mandala?  Wikipedia says: “ A mandala (Sanskrit for "circle") is a geometric, usually circular, symbolic pattern representing the universe, wholeness, and the cosmos in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Shinto. They act as spiritual, meditation, and, or ritual tools, with intricate, symmetrical designs organized around a central point to aid, focusing attention and promoting, inner, peace.”

For those of us that do not have an Eastern belief system background, we recognize the circle, the design of the circle, as the circle of life, or of the Universe design of completeness.  It resonates with us.

Sometimes, you find a mandala (a spiritual symbol) that resonates for you so loudly that you can hardly hear.  The symbol may be quite specific or it may be filled with indefinite shapes.  Whatever the layout, there is “something” in it that helps you focus and to become balanced.

A mandala may be used to set and hold sacred space for something, or, for clearing, if the mandala is highly regarded.  It may be what helps you find your center in meditation.

This is the day that you start looking for your mandala, if you do not have one.

Blessings,

Judy

Fire Across The Mountains

Right now, so much change is happening in the world.  Often, when we think of fires, we think about the fires in forests, up the mountains, that consume thousands of acres of vegetation and destroy the homes of animals and often the animals.  Soon, the fires in Canada and the United States will be happening again.

The Angels remind us that often, when we see disaster, that newness is happening.  In the Tarot, the Tower card has fire in it.  The card is about change.

The fires that plague forested areas and put residences in peril, are part of a natural cycle of renewal.  Most things in the natural world have an expiry date.  Sometimes, Nature takes a hand to cause a forest to re-grow with a different main tree, or a meadow to re-grow without a certain weed or other plant.  We may study Nature for ever and not understand the cycles and attrition that happens as a matter of course. 

When fire happens, there are some messages:

• What is it that needs cleansing?
• Is it time to ignite your life with passion for something?
• What part of you burns with anger, and why? 

Blessings,

Judy

The Real Journey

The poster says:

It may be when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know what to do, we have begun our real journey. —— Wendell Berry

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I have many friends who are currently changing their job or career, their home, and even their spouses/partners.  It is a time when we are being called to a different path then the path we have been on.  For some, it is joyous, as they now get to do what they have always wanted to do.

For others, it is an adventure, and with it comes some fear, because the path is unknown, and sometimes, it means leaving everything behind.  As we walk forward, what we had, drops away.  We cannot go back!  Yes, people say you can go back.  However, the truth is that everything changes and even in going back, you do go back to something new.  Sometimes, going forward is the better option.

What do the changes mean?  More and more, I think it is about choosing to recognize what is right and what is wrong.  We are born with this kind of intuition.  Yet, many of us trade it for unanimity.

What is your choice, today?

Blessings,

Judy

Badger Says - Dig In!

One animal that is very in tune with the Earth is Badger.  She digs many dens and will burrow after prey, if it is worthy prey.  She is always busy and it is not often that she is at rest.  When she is resting, she provides her teachings.  This time, her teachings are about “digging in”.  

• If you decide to take something on, then dig in and do it with the utmost thoroughness.  There shall be no sloppy work!
• Find a healthy diet and dig into the farmer’s markets to get the best and freshest of the produce.  This food will nourish your body and spirit.
• Find your passion and dig into it to make it your life work.  All people with passion create “something” that lasts and becomes a legacy.

Read more from Badger:

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2023/12/when-badger-appears-to-you.html

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2024/06/badger-away.html

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2025/03/badger-on-teaching.html

Blessings,

Judy

Rooster Opens The Show

Early in school, we learn that the day starts in the country with the Rooster crowing up the Sun, and telling the animals and humans that day is starting.  From that place, think of Rooster as the Master of Ceremonies for each day.  Rooster crows that “a really big show is starting” and that truly describes the miracles that happen each day.  

Unfortunately for many people, because their head is down, and because they are self absorbed, they miss the beginning of the show.  They miss the commentary by the master of ceremonies, and they miss the magic and the miracles.  If people do pay attention, they focus on those things that are dark and appear broken.

What if you had a rooster to awaken you each day to the beauty of the rising Sun?  What if you could harness the energy of the miracles? What would you do?  

Do it now!

Blessings,

Judy

Giraffe Says Stand Taller

We have all hear the motivational words about working harder to go beyond our limits which implies that our limits are self imposed.  Perhaps they are; perhaps they are not.  Who is to say?  What is interesting however, is that Giraffe has been appearing almost daily to me in some form.  She may be in a picture, a painting, a vision, on a blog, or even on a billboard.  Usually this kind of repetition means that there is a message on hand.

Giraffe brings messages about:

• Stand taller; stand with confidence
• If you can reach your dreams, your aim is too low 
• The higher the leaves, the more energy they carry from the Sun and the Universe
• Sometimes, change does not happen unless you stick out your neck

Blessings,

Judy

Loving Kindness Meditation

This meditation is a re-statement of the Buddhist “Loving Kindness Meditation”. 

LOVING KINDNESS MEDITATION

(Take a deep breath in)

(Speak this line on the out breath) May I be filled with loving kindness,

(Take a deep breath in)

(Speak this line on the out breath) May I be well!

(Take a deep breath in)

(Speak this line on the out breath)  May I be peaceful and at ease

(Take a deep breath in)

(Speak this line on the out breath) May I be happy!

The next round replaces the word “I” with “you”.

The third round replaces the word “you” with “we”.

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Many blessings,

Judy

March 1 2026 - Blessings

The poster says:

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful; for beauty is God’s handwriting  - a wayside sacrament….and thank God for it as a cup of blessing. —Ralph Waldo Emerson

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As we move in to March, remember that there are many types of blessings.  Actions that seem harsh may turn out to be exactly what you need.

The blessing may be:

-missing an accident

-a bird song

-someone offering you home made cookies that they brought to the office

-a smile and a pat on the back.

The angels tell us that often, we are so busy in our heads and looking at how we can show how smart we are that we forget to look for the blessings.

May March shower you with blessings!

Many blessings,

Judy

Butterfly to Friend

This is one of the greatest pictures – a butterfly blessing a golden retriever (a great dog).  Some days, you feel like no one loves you, and then someone unexpectedly gives you a blessing.  This is what friendship is about.  

Let a friend give you a blessing today!

Blessings,

Judy

Recipe - Grain Free Granola

 I have been experiencing some intolerance for gluten and therefore, for some grains.  I love granola in the morning because it carries me through my longest meetings right from the time I eat it, at around 7:00AM to 12:30PM and beyond.  Granola also makes a wholesome snack.

Hearing that I was having some issues with gluten, a friend of a friend who is gluten sensitive, sent the following recipe to me to try.  I am grateful that she is a kind and thoughtful person because this recipe works for me.

This recipe is very, very good, and very easy to make.  My husband now likes to enjoy it for a filling breakfast.

Grain Free Granola

2 cups sliced almonds or 1 cup each of almonds and crushed walnuts 

1 cup each sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds (raw and unsalted) 

3/4 cup each unsweetened coconut and raisins (raisins or other fruit is optional) 

1/2 cup each sesame seeds and ground flax meal 

1/4 cup each honey coconut oil or a bit of almond oil and olive oil 

1 teaspoon vanilla (optional) 

1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine nuts, seeds, flax meal, coconut and raisins. In a small saucepan, combine butter and honey and heat until melted. Add vanilla and almond extract to the butter and honey, and pour over the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Spread granola onto a large baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes. Let the granola cool, then break into small clusters. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Blessings,

Judy

Hawk Owl Gives Advice

Picture of Northern Hawk Owl

I have been hearing from many people who are having experiences with OWL.  While they may be surprised at this, I am not because our stories and legends are full of stories about Owls working with humans.  One of my favorite stories is the version of Merlin that has Archimedes, the Owl, as one of his teachers.

Hawk Owl’s current advice is:

• Sometimes it is easier to be creative at night because there is less noise around you.
• Practice seeing without your eyes, but with all of your senses.  Sometimes, you will see more because one’s eyes will only focus on what the eyes know.
• Find a place where you can “perch” for a time and feel safe.  This is the place to contemplate (meditate) and hear more.

Blessings,

Judy

Starting Over

The poster says:  I’m not giving up.  I’m just starting over.

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Sometimes, we just need to know when to throw in the towel, and, start over.  There is so much magic in just walking away from something that is not serving your needs.  It is awesome!

This was a lesson that I had to learn in my twenties.  I was frustrated with the job that I was in.  I felt that I was really in the wrong place.  My angels encouraged me to think about the right place for me, and to make the change.  I did.

We have been taught not to give up and to carry on.  What for?  Usually, to serve someone else’s agenda.  If you are doing what feels right to you, regardless of how it looks to others, then you are doing the “right” thing.  Right action is about making your heart sing.

Blessings,

Judy

Growing Pains

On life's journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.  -Buddha

We often complain about our lives and how hard they are.  One of the lessons in this short quote is – lead a good, pure life, and the way is not so hard.  

If life is hard, then it is growing pains. The person is moving away from faith and being good and kind and industrious.  When we move off the path of doing things that are right, we grow and stretch our learning, and we hurt our selves and others along the way.  There are not any shortcuts.  It is life.

Blessings,

Judy

A Great Dog Story

Every once in a while, I read a story that says - this animal is an angel in disguise.  For me, the story below is such an example of an angel.

Enjoy!

Blessings,
Judy

A Brother's Last and Everlasting Gift, a Lab named Tritan

By: Petplace Staff

It's no secret that a good dog can help you get through hard times. There's something about a dog's smile and constant love that is impossible to resist even during great sorrow. I just read a story that makes this especially clear and has an extra tug on the heartstrings. 


Michelle Michalek writes from Buffalo, New York and tells the story of her beloved younger brother who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the heartbreakingly young age of 20. Upon receiving his diagnosis, he had only one request. Jeremy wanted a pit bull puppy. So Michelle immediately took up the task of finding him the perfect puppy. She found a brindle puppy that was sure to be perfect on the same day that Jeremy had lung surgery. A few days after he came home, Michelle picked up the puppy and brought him to her brother. 


Knowing the dog was unlikely to understand her, she explained on the drive that he was to be the best friend to a very sick, but also very special boy. The dog must have understood because when Michelle brought him into the room full of family and friends, the pup made a beeline for her brother. For the next three years Jeremy and his dog Remy were inseparable. Jeremy often told Michelle that if it wasn't for his beloved canine that he would have lost it. Remy was there and strong through the worst of the disease.

When Jeremy began to get much worse, he worried about Michelle. The thought of leaving his sister bothered him terribly, so he convinced Michelle that she needed a puppy as well. Michelle was understandably reticent, but Jeremy insisted and she finally agreed. Knowing that Michelle had always wanted a yellow lab, he began to search for the right puppy in the newspaper and making phone calls.

Jeremy found Michelle a wonderful lab pup that she named Tritan. For the next several years they raised the puppy together. He helped them laugh when they wanted to cry. It was the last thing they did together. Three months later Jeremy passed away. Remy and Michelle were devastated. 

Tritan though, would not let them sink deep into their depression. Tritan wouldn't allow Remy to ignore his food, harassing him to eat. He also pestered him until he would get up and play. Tritan wouldn't let Michelle stay in bed and mope either. He jumped on her, yanked of the sheets, barked and eventually got her out of bed every morning. He never left her side. He comforted her when she cried. He made her smile when she didn't want to. He couldn't replace her brother, but Tritan gave her a similar sort of unconditional love. Michelle realized that her brother knew exactly what he was doing when he got her Tritan and understood what he meant when he told her she would realize one day that he was right to get her a dog. Michelle says, "There is no greater gift than the last gift my brother gave me, my yellow lab Tritan.