Category Archives: Spiritual

Compassion to Undying Love….

The first half of his life is a mystery.  We’ll never know what he experienced, or how he interpreted it.   The wounds, the hurts, the sadness…. loneliness.   Yet, we do know the second half of his life.  It was with US.IMG_4187

April Fools Day,  the road trip to meet him was long and tedious. Upon arrival, amidst his shaved body and sores on his skin, I saw into his transparant eyes.  He was a keeper. A deep soul. That boy named Duncan was to come home with us that very day.

Four years of life had gone by previous to our meeting.  We never knew what he had been through, nor will we.  Often I envisioned he was stuck in a cage for those years.  His habit was to have his head propped up on a wall, or he’d secure himself under the four legs of a chair, so he still had the sense of familiar four walls, invisible or not.  I suppose my interpretation could be wrong.  Nonetheless, someone had given him up, and he was mine to love, learn, and befriend.

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Love Starts Within

FullSizeRenderI have observed a lot of judgmentalism lately.

Facebook is one of the many public tools I see used to impose personal opinion on others.  It’s sad, since the term on Facebook… people that you see… are considered ‘friends’.  Those very ‘friends’ can sometimes be extremely judgmental with their own standpoint and opinion.

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Reflections of Duncan.

Duncan, my brave, wise, silent ponderer.

Overlooking the River from the bridge.

Overlooking the River from the bridge.

We received the unexpected call from the Scottish Terrier Rescue, just prior to April 1, April Fools Day.  Truth was, this was no joke.  We drove an hour and a half to go see him, knowing full well, we’d be riding home with this 4 year old little boy.

Shaved due to his matted coat,  first glance, he didn’t appear to be anything special.  He smelled a bit like medicine.  I grabbed the leash, and walked along side of him, as if it was something we’ve done a million times.  We walked the edges of the rest stop, our meeting place.  Definitely, he was coming home.  We could love this boy.  He was little, compared to our other Scottie, and he had a bigger head than we were used to.  Kinda funny, in a pitiful way, it was definate  he was going to be our new family member.

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Issues Women Deal With…Trust

 

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I’m doing a study…and as I write, things come up that are very intriguing and I frankly would love your opinions.  We all deal with things differently.  How do YOU deal with these things that I’ll be writing about?

For instance….

Women, how do you handle it when you have found out you’ve been deceived by your partner?  Is it something you can forgive and forget?  Does it eventually fade  off and you get over it?  Do you hold resentments?

Do you find yourself building blocks between you and your partner, especially when it comes to ability to be close?  Intimate?  I mean, once he’s really taught you that he is not trustworthy…whether it be he cheated, lies about his money, looking at things or doing things on the internet that is not acceptable, maybe you’ve found he’s not at work when he says he is?

Are you able to talk about it?  Does he get defensive?  Do you watch and observe until you have built your case enough that you are confident you must leave him?

What keeps you staying…when you find he’s done something terribly deceitful?  Is it that you are scared to be on your own?  Are you worried about money?  Children?  Once trust is broken, is there some method you use to ‘fix’ it?

These are things that I am curious about.  Matter of fact, from my own resources and observations, there are women that choose to stay, some choose revenge.  Some choose to become victims and lose themselves and their self esteem right down the sewer.

What do you do?

Karen

You Never Really Know What’s Going On Inside….

IMG_2295I watch as Bo plays ball and tosses his toys like he’s two years old.   It defies logic, that he’s not going to be in our lives much longer.  He just turned 8 years young.  Bo still eats, chews on his boney, chases after loud motors, and aggressively tells motorcycles how he really feels.

When we take him out to play in the back yard, it’s as if he’s uncontrollably addicted.  True to his childhood characteristics, he is vocal, talking to his ball as he bosses it across the grass, shoving it with his nose to force it our way.  It’s a mixture of grumbling and half bark.  I’ve never seen him jump higher, run faster, or act younger.  This boy LOVES a ball.

Yet, in the quiet moments…those moments when he’s sleeping, or walking extremely slow behind me on a leash, I realize….it’s an invisible reality.  His tumors are growing, his peeing is getting weaker, and he’s having difficulty maneuvering in certain positions.  My boy has TCC (Transitional Cell Carcinoma).  This invisible disease is taking over his insides. Continue reading →

Personal Bubble – Time and Space

rainbow bubbleRejuvenating from a hectic or stressful day is imperative.  However, I find the definition of rejuvenating is different for many of us.  For me personally, I require literal down time.  Whether it be sitting in silence,  maybe taking a walk in nature and calming my mind and body, or isolating myself just until I can come back out of my ‘shell’ and re-join what else life throws at me.

There are those that prefer to ‘down time’ themselves by going outside and doing yard work, or physical labor,  others rejuvenate in an opposite manner, and relax being in a crowd and socializing. Continue reading →

Free Spirit Moments

Bo is  cooperative, so willing to please, and extremely loving.  Great Scottish Terrier, and an Bo at Beachamazing best friend.  He is always willing to love, and be loved.  His nature is calm and tender.  Yet, he can be that ‘stubborn’ terrier when he wants to be!  Especially when a loud motor is going by on his walk….

Such a sweet spirited boy, he doesn’t balk at having to be leashed, even though we all know, both he and his ‘rescue’ brother, Duncan, would absolutely LOVE to run free!

Leash laws here in North Carolina are enforced, especially at the beach.  Many of them won’t allow you to bring your dogs on the sand at all, but fortunately, we’ve found a few, such as Topsail Beach, and Surf City.  We were blessed with a week at Surf City in August.  Jimmy and I rented a place that allows our four legged family members.  What a pleasant time of stunning weather, beautiful sunrises and sunsets.  Even better, were the quiet moments, listening to the waves rush in and out, the warm summer breeze, and our boys sitting at our feet, watching nature’s entertainment of seagulls and sand critters. Continue reading →

In Awe

Falls LakeTaking the time to just ‘breathe’ and stop the amazing overkill of ‘busy’ is very difficult.  Especially as a woman.  Everywhere I look, there is something to DO.  The floor needs sweeping, the marks on the walls need cleaning, there is laundry,  the drive to work, the work day, the computer mis-hap, the checkbook needs balancing, bills to pay….. I really believe we have a never ending list of constant busy-ness.  I have to literally force myself to STOP …just so I can breathe in the moments we have remaining with our guys (the ‘guyz’)….

The “GUYZ” are Bo and Duncan.  They are SO dependent upon us…for everything.    They need us for dinner, to let them out to potty… they need us for getting the itchy place on their back.  Our loved ‘guyz’ need their ‘parents’.

What do we get back?  Pure love.  Unconditional, major, happy dance kind of love…especially when we ask them about going for a walk, or when we enter from having been gone.  Oh, and the MORNING love is amazing. Continue reading →

In His Father’s Arms

Bo in armsWe heard from the vet today that it may be as quick as three months.  Could be more than that..each day is a gift.

Trying to keep his routine as normal as possible, there still is an awareness inside that each event, each interaction, even his dinnertime is more meaningful.

A wonderful lady in the waiting room was with me when Bo’s ultrasound was done,  which subsequently led to the diagnosis of malignant bladder cancer, was a secret angel, I know it.  Total stranger, I don’t even know her name.  She asked me when I came back from having my ‘talk’ with the vet specialist, ‘was everything alright’.  My eyes teared up as I responded ‘not really’.  She immediately came to me and gave me a big hug.  Her own dog limping with three legs from recent knee surgery.

After she and her husband had their consult with the vet about her dog’s knees, she made her way back to the waiting room, just to sit next to me.  She wept with me as if it were her own four legged friend, and spoke gently about our love for our fur children.  One of the most meaningful things she said was “The good news, is HE doesn’t know he’s sick.  You have the knowledge, but he doesn’t”. Continue reading →

What Makes You Feel Positively Awesome?

Makeup ApplicationWhat do you do that makes you feel good?  Look good?  Or, even feel positive?  Do you enjoy cooking, or fresh sheets on the bed?  Do you love having a clean car?  Or maybe  you feel great when you volunteer at the art museum?  Whatever you do that creates a positive feel, gives you satisfaction, or warms your heart… isn’t it great how much you love it? Those are the things you were clearly ‘made’ to do!

 

We are all so different.  Some of us don’t want anything to do with specific actions, behaviors, while others thrive in them.  Someone loves playing cards,  or jogging on trails….another loves to clean closets…we all have our own gifts, talents.

 

There are some people that pay strict attention to the way they look, as well.  Maybe they care about the colors they wear, or how their clothes fit.  Maybe it is all about their makeup done to perfection, or even flossing their teeth!  Bottom line, sometimes the reason you don’t enjoy doing something, is merely because you were never ‘taught’ how to do the action, therefore, lack of awareness is simply because it was never brought to your attention, or you were not instructed, or didn’t get the memo!! Continue reading →