Much has occurred in the past 7 days, so much that has affected me on soooo many levels. And for those of you who've read some of my other stuff, you'll know what I mean. (and, for those of you who haven't...well, maybe you might like to! To get caught up and all. You know?) So, onto this whole Life-Changing thing....

Three months ago I had to say goodbye to my girl. I'd had her from the time she was SIX HOURS OLD and spent the next 12 years in her company. She was, in every sense of the word, my Hero. She taught me things no 'Two-Legged' ever could. She loved me unconditionally (really!) and she had the Spirit of an angel. She was my whole heart and more. The day I said 'farewell' was without question the worst day of my entire life, and I'm not kidding about that. I knew I had to do it, but that didn't make it any easier. The ensuing months were sheer agony. Especially at first. Every day for the first few weeks seemed as if it were a year. Every time I tried to do anything, there she was, or rather, there was the big, ugly Void that used to be where she was. Even the darling Chella (my cat), try as she might, wasn't able to stop the crying. I just couldn't seem to get over myself.

Of course, as time usually does, little by little I began to laugh again. Little, soft laughter. My appetite started to kick in. I began to get an hour of sleep here and there. I was, albeit slowly, beginning to 'move on'. Don't know if those are the proper words, but they're the only ones that come to mind. Move on. Or get on with it. Or BREATHE again. Whatever you call it, I was doing it. With each passing day I was more amazed at the resilience of my own heart and my ability to actually live through this horrible grief. But, I did.

Then, as 'Fate' would have it, I was cruising around on CraigsList one day and saw an ad that was simply entitled 'HELP'. Now, I'm not usually the hero type. At least I don't think I am. And I sure don't go looking for mountains of trouble to rescue folks from. But this ad just kept 'calling' and, much as I tried to ignore it, just couldn't. Finally, I thought, 'You know, you may as well just read it. It's gonna bug the bejeebers outta you til you do. Just open it and read, knucklehead.' (I was in a particulary goofy mood that day, hence the comical conversation with Self...but I digress...)

When I opened the ad, I was a bit surprised to find a very well-written (and lengthy) piece about a woman who'd found this pitiful dog walking along the side of the freeway up in the Temecula area. Apparently, the dog had been abandoned and was in dire need of food, water and serous medical treatment. His paw, according to her missive, was bloody and missing 2 pads. All that remained was raw flesh and toes that looked like they were about to fall off. Not a pretty picture, indeed. She went on to explain that she really wanted to help this guy, but she just flat didn't have the resources (time OR money) to do so. She'd had him for 2 months. She posted a picture and asked for any help, be it money, care, adoption, ideas, whatever. She sounded pretty desperate. The picture looked even more so. OH NO!

Well, previously I said I don't consider myself 'the hero type'...but when it comes to critters, that's a whole 'nother story. I have this thing with critters. A gift, really. It freaks some people out sometimes, but I don't have any control over it. I know what they're thinking. I don't say that in 'psychic' terms; rather a kind of deep empathy or something. Whatever. So, I have this thing for critters and I'd been without my Raja for 3 months and here's this guy, looking like he's never had a single chance in his life....so I called her. We talked for an hour, me asking a zillion questions, her telling me his story, or what she knew of it. It did NOT sound promising, at least, not for him.

Turns out, she'd brought him to a Vet one time, found out it was going to cost a small fortune to even determine what was going on, and left with antibiotics and some pain meds. She tried her best, but she just didn't have the time to soak and flush and dress that wound every day. And it just kept getting worse. She knew, deep in her heart, she had to either find a home for him or he was going to die. She also knew that if she brought him to a shelter, he'd be dead in less than 48 hours. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. So she posted the ad.

Now, I have to take a detour here, just for the sake of clarity. I'm not a person who takes an animal into my home without considering ALL the consequences. I've had dogs, cats and horses for most of my life. I know what's required and I do NOT take it lightly. They're my kids. In every respect. So, after I hung up the phone I thought...'maybe not a good idea right now, Camille. You have your own medical stuff going on. Money is mighty tight. This is going to cost a BUNCH of money you don't have. What are you thinking????'

In short, my brain was screaming "NO!!!" but my heart would NOT let it go. After consulting my closest 'tribe' of friends/family, I met Buddy, 3 days later. It occurred to me that WHO I am is far more important than the doubts or fears I may experience as my brain tries to justify my actions. In other words, I wasn't going to let logic overrule. I was going ot do what I coach....live my Life according to my deepest passions, and trust the Universe to help with all the rest of the logistics. Now, before you go judging me, let me just say that I wasn't doing this naively. I was well aware of exactly what I was taking on. And I had a plan.

I've been into network marketing for quite some time now. I've made lots of contacts and met some amazing people along the way. I decided that KNOWLEDGE USED is power. And I was about to use it. So, I met the guy, fell in love and took him home. I had this little voice in my head that kept saying 'Raja sent him. Raja sent him. You need him as much as he needs you. Take him home. It's going to be okay.' I listened to that voice. And I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that I did. He is as sweet as he is adorable. He's ill, yes. But not incurable. I have a terrific Vet who also happens to be quite a Humanitarian. They all know 'my story', including the part of my Life with Raja. Doc thought it was a splendid idea too. He knew what I knew: the dog is going to die otherwise.

Here we are now, a week later. Buddy has had one toe removed and is on anti-fungal meds for something called Valley Fever (eats the BONES! ICK!!!). He's also taking some antibiotics and getting massive doses of love and attention. In one short week he's gained 3 pounds, has a shining coat and his eyes are smiling...probably for the first time in his life. He has toys and a bed and a Doc who gives a hoot. And, of course, he has me. Buddy hit the Big Dog Lottery. But that's not all. He came into my world so he could live. What he brought was his large love, his complete trust (took him a while, but not as long as you might think!) AND a brand new purpose for this long-winded writer.

You see, as I've been researching various resources to help pay his medical bills, I've learned a ton of stuff. But the bottom line is there are far too many critters in very similar situations: that is to say, their 'people' don't have the money to give them the medical care they need when something 'big' happens. This results in the family or person having to ditch the critter. THIS results in shelters that are overflowing with critters who are then put to death. It is a sad and horrible situation. What does this mean for me? I have so much passion for them. I have tons of time right now, and quite a bit of savvy regarding networking. So...a new non-profit is about to be born. All in the name of Buddy. It is, indeed, 'personal happiness' at it's best.

If you, or anyone you know, would like to help with this Buddy Mission, please visit my website and click on the page 'BuddyBoyFund'. You'll find some pics and a much shorter version of what's going on. Any and all assistance is GREATLY appreciated!

Camille Olivia Strate is an author and coach who takes great pleasure in helping folks 'remember' who they are. She spends much of her time with her beloved animals, her greatest connection to Source. When she's not coaching or writing, she can be found in the garden or on a trail, soaking in the marvels of Nature's offerings.
Her latest book, "Whispers" is now available in eBook format. Hardcopy to follow soon!
Visit her personal site at http://www.joyzachoice.com

Having some fun with all the 'chatter' going on in my world about this whole 'religion' thing. Such a volatile subject, yet, somehow, so amusing sometimes. I watch as folks go on about the things that get 'em all riled up ('THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD ... AND IT'S MY GOD!" or the age-old argument "I am RIGHT, you are WRONG...and you're going to hell.". Just cracks me up. What I wonder, most often, is 'if there is only ONE GOD, why are you arguing the point? Who cares what you call Her/Him (heehee!)? Great Spirit. Great Mystery. Yahweh. Allah. The Lord. Shiva. Odin. Pan (my personal favorite...bless his smelly, pipe-playing, lascivious Self!). SHEESH! ONE GOD means one god. So what's all the fuss about?

I once had a friend, who is a hard-core, bible-thumpin', right wing Southern Baptist, tell me that if I was so averse to the whole idea (being a 'recovering Catholic and all) maybe I could look at it this way: GOD = Good Orderly Direction. Hmmm. Now there's an idea. Good Orderly Direction indeed. I've always thought that DOG was a much better moniker. DOG = Divine Oasis of Goodness. Makes much more sense to me. Plus, I happen to think Dogs Rule! But I digress.... back to the whole 'who cares what ya call It' thing...

Here's my take ~ since 'we' (Americans) came 'here' (America) in search of religious freedom from the oppressive English we've managed to nearly decimate the entire Native American population. But it didn't start there. For as long as history has been recorded, RELIGION has been the cause of more killings than ANY OTHER CAUSE on the planet. Entire civilations have been wiped out. More than 2 MILLION women were burned alive (those dastardly witches!) just because they had 'gifts. Gifts like being able to heal people or animals. Knowing how to assist in birth (that's right, folks, Midwives were considered witches...and killed for it!). Or even living alone in the forest, growing herbs as medicinals to help heal the sick...all these tihngs and much lesser 'violations' were cause for their demise. Unspeakable horrors that, were I inclined, could take pages, no, make that VOLUMES to even list, let alone describe. UNSPEAKABLE!

So, it would seem that his whole 'religion' thing is way out of control. Always has been. People kill people in the name of their 'god', and are RIGHTEOUS about it. HUH???? But...what if.....what if we're finally entering into a new era, as it were. What if NOW is the time in our Human history that we begin (yes, it's just a beginning) little by little, to ALLOW each other to worship who/what/how we wish, without persecution? I mean, look around. All kinds of sites just like these are popping up and growing faster than weeds on a hillside. There are millions of people buying books, attending seminars, creating new organizations, living JOYFULLY all in the name of Spiritual Freedom. It's AWESOME!

And here we are...all of us...learning, witnessing, living this 'new idea'. It inspires great hope for our species. It motivates people to action. It IS changing the world as we know it. And I, for one, think this is a marvelous time to be on the planet. We may not see the results of our 'work' in this lifetime, but the seeds have been planted. The trees of new spirituality are taking root on our beautiful Mother Earth. People DO care. Now, all we have to do is pull out the weeds, give the seeds some fertilizer and water our gardens. The fruits our labors will appear....maybe not soon enough for some of us, but they WILL appear.

Praise Pan!

Some people call it Karma. Some call it Payback. Or the proverbial Golen Rule. I call it the ol' Boomerang Effect. You know, when you do something or say something or even think something....and next thing you know, it comes right back to you. Now this can be cause for alarm or celebration, depending on what you started in the first place. Like if you wish someone a happy day, it's likely you're going to have one too. But if you wish that knucklehead behind you who's riding your bumper so close you can see the whites of his eyes would wrap himself (and his big-assed SUV) around the nearest telephone poll, well...you might want to reconsider that wish. Because you never know what might jump out in front of you when you least expect it.

Part of the reason I'm talking about this is there's been a whole bunch of very cool stuff going on in my world lately. It seems that the past year and all it's struggles have actually taught me some pretty amazing stuff. While it hasn't always been pleasant, I've had the great blessing of having folks around me who really care. They've all tried their best to help me through this little 'detour' and provide as much support as they could. They've also continued to encourage me to keep the faith, so to speak. At times it's been so hard, so excruciatingly painful, that I wasn't sure I was going to live through it. Other times, however, it's felt as if someone wrapped me in the softest cashmere, holding me close and filling me with love. I think they call it God Connection. Whatever the case, I can see now that it's all been for my 'highest good'. It's so clear to me now (isn't it always clear in 'hindsight'?) that this entire experience has been my own kind of hibernation. Or maybe 'cocoon' is a better word. A transformation in the works.

When faced with dis-ease, especially something that immobilizes you, it's easy to slip into the dark abyss of hopelessness. Days when the pain is so great all you can do is lie in bed and sob or pray you'll die....well, those are the worst moments. But then, little by little, as we let go of the psychological pain and just allow our body to do what it does, the pain begins to diminish. The light appears at the end of the tunnel. The abyss turns into a crack. Healing begins. And if we can manage to trust that 'all is well', even when we don't feel like it is, we find our way back to wellness and a whole new dimension of Self. In other words, a whole new beginning.

The Boomerang Effect is about seeing all those good, hopeful thoughts come back around. Being able to find gratitude in one's heart while going through any trial causes us to have more to be grateful for. And when, at last, we can see that by staying grounded in trust we find our way to that lightness of Being again, everything begins to make sense. Everything begins to glow with that stunning light of hope. The world is right again.

Turns out that because I've managed NOT to get all crazed about this experience, and I've done my best to live in that grace of gratitude, all sorts of people, circumstances and magick are showing up to move me forward. I have this new passion, a brand new purpose. And the moment I committed myself ALL KINDS of people began to show up. It's almost hard to believe (but I DO believe it!). Phone calls from strangers who heard about my 'mission'. Letters. Emails. Total strangers in line at the grocery store. All of them offering their help in this endeavor. It's Magick! So, the next time you think it's hopeless, whatever 'it' is, try to remember that part about grace. Take a breath. Take another one. Close your eyes for a second and feel the flow of lovely energy that surrounds you. And, no matter what, remember your Boomerang. It'll come back. I promise.

www.joyzachoice.com

A recent stream of events has caused me to pause for a moment, well, more than just one, and reconsider the course of this thing called 'my Life'. I've been on a mission for a pretty long time, a mission to examine how I operate and change those things which no longer serve me. Sort of like lying in the pyre, allowing the fire to consume me, and rise again just as the Phoenix rises every 500 years. It is said that with each rising, more of 'who' you are comes to fore. I believe this to be true, but sometimes the heat gets a bit uncomfortable. A friend put it this way, "If you can't handle the heat, don't tickle the Dragon". I love that little phrase, and when the fire gets too hot, it seems to help me tremendously. And so....

During this 'stream of events', I found myself wondering 'why' about a lot of stuff. Like why would anyone intentionally attempt to cause pain to another? Or why, by a certain time in a person's life, would they resort to the behavior of a 12 year old? Or...most importantly, why do I even wonder why? After all, I'm the one who put my canoe in the river. If the water gets too murky, it's up to me to steer elsewhere, yes? When those muddy waters turn to muck, the boat is likely to get stuck BIG TIME. So, having been Captain of my canoe for all this time, one would think it'd be a simple matter of just paddling downstream, as opposed to fighting the currents, yes? If this is the case, and I know it to be true, what difference does it make whether or not others are ATTEMPTING to impede my progress? Does it? Does it really matter?

I have come to believe that the only things that cause us 'trouble' are those things we hang on to. There was a time when the adage 'hang tuff' was what I thought was the 'right' way to do things. Now, however, I think a bit differently. I think that the whole 'letting go' process is a much more sane approach. When we let go, we have only our own Spirit to guide us to a landing. I always refer back to my very favorite quote:

When you come to the edge of all you know
You must believe in one of two things
You will be given earth on which to stand
Or you will be given wings

So, as this stream of events unfolded, I found myself chanting this little phrase. Over and over, taking deep breaths and keeping my Self centered, I repeated this mantra...and actually managed to stay calm! A year ago, this would not have been the case. A year ago, I'd have been ranting like a banshee, determined to 'get my revenge'. I'd have called in 'the forces' and made plans to retaliate, much like the old-time mobsters did back in the day. That would have been my driving force. Revenge, retaliation, justice. But not today. Today, I am aware of the repercussions of such actions. I am aware that whatever I do to anyone else, comes back to me a hundred fold. I am happily aware that justice is not my job. Justice is an inside job for a power much larger than this puny human. And I trust that power as I trust the sun to rise each day.

It's a really terrific feeling, letting go. It's so much more conducive to living in joy. It's FREEDOM at it's very best. Letting go of those things we have no control of...THIS is what it means to be free. The best I can wish for now, in lieu of revenge, is that those who wish to harm others find some semblance of peace one day soon. Instead of thinking harmful thoughts toward them, I light a candle and say a prayer. 'Please, please give them a moment of peace. Please, please show them love. Please, shine the light of your Grace on them so they may find land on which to stand or wings to fly."

We are in the midst of a fund raising project to help pay for Buddy's enormous Vet bill. While I am utterly grateful to have his (the Vet's) trust, I am also equally determined to pay him for the services that saved Buddy's life. I realize not everyone has the means (or wishes) to let go of their money, especially if you don't know who I am. I understand your skepticism...as there are so many illicit people out there scamming good hearts. So, in lieu of cash donations (which we will happily accept and/or forward the Vet's info so you can donate directly to him), we've come up with another idea~

Being the environmentally aware person I am, I am largely in favor of carrying canvas totes (rather than the usual 'paper or plastic?'. I have decided that we're going to make such totes and offer them for sale to raise the funds for Buddy. You send me your old jeans (or any other clothing that's sturdy enough to make totes) and I'll make the totes, put them on my site and accomplish 2 things: pay the Vet AND get more folks using totes!

So, if you'd like to help, please contact me. I'll send you my mailing address. Also, if you would, please PASS THE WORD! The more the merrier!

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.
Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." ~~ Albert Schweitzer

Each of us has our challenges..or opportunities...depending on how we choose to perceive them. When those opportunities arise, it's up to us to see them as such...OPPORTUNITIES to grow. Even in the most difficult situations, there is something to be learned, something to bring us closer to our true Selves. Something to be grateful for. And if we can hold on to this little pearl, we can move through whatever it is without suffering. Because there IS a difference between pain and suffering. Pain is just pain. It can be momentary or long-lasting. It can be weathered. It can even be embraced. But the suffering...that part is what WE do to ourselves. Suffering is merely our refusal to accept, embrace and delve into our pain. The more we resist, the more we suffer. Not so with pain.

It occurred to me recently that no matter what is going on in my world, there are several people who are ALWAYS there to help me through. They provide the most unflinching love. They offer silence; a place for me to pour my noise and let go. They offer gentle suggestions, which I can use or leave. They even offer, always at the perfect moment, laughter, so that I may unload the heaviness and let my Self 'light' again. They are my rocks. And without them, I'm certain I'd not be who I am. They bring me back to my Spirit, never judging or chiding. Only pouring love into me, without keeping track of how much. They are my angels here in this time/space. They are the ones I am most grateful for.

Gratitude is a marvelous place to Live. In gratitude, we have more to be grateful for. In orther words, the more grateful we are for what we have, the more we have to be grateful FOR. Gratitude does, indeed, beget gratitude. It's a beautiful formula for living a beautiful life, despite the 'challenges'. Today, in this place I call 'my Life', I am deeply grateful for those angels and all the love they give so freely. Today, I live in Gratitude.