Peace and Love

Tags

Children and animals, Guidedog, Labradoodle, Love, Peace, Unconditional Love

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a Munch.

Maybe it was the stolen ham sandwiches that had lay in his reach, that made his body resemble a peach.

All round and hairy he lay in the way and was too full to even attempt to play.

Until that was, his best friend came along and started to sing him an encouraging song.

His ears pricked up and he gazed at her face, wanting her to come and rest in his space.

A bond like this, warms even the coldest of hearts, especially when their mischievous adventure starts.

Mix the energy of a three-year-old child and a labradoodle together and there is one thing that you will never hear and that is peace and quiet. Their mischievous footsteps that fail to tiptoe through the house means that they are in pursuit of happiness. A thrown ball here and a shared pack of crisps there, makes two beautiful souls come together and fill each other with joy.

My beautiful granddaughter was only nine months old when our almost Shetland pony sized Munch became part of our family and I wondered how they would get on. I need not have worried as it is as if their silent glances to one another communicated that they saw the world in the same mesmerising way. They loved people, loved affection and were rather partial to food. Isn’t that the bases of any good friendship? To them, it was.

The old souls that lived within each of them felt like they have lived before alongside each other in a previous life as they knew each other so well. As Munch lay stretching his long body out on the floor, my granddaughter would crawl with maturely around him not wanting to disturb him. From the first stroke that she gave him with her cute dimpled hand, she was soft and lovingly gentle and never rough. Munch in return was the gentlest of giants with her.

He always greeted her with kisses and would follow her around like a shadow. If she cried, he ran to her to see how he could help and did not leave her side until she was better. He climbed onto the bottom of the bed where she slept when she was older and remained there with Angus the cat to be the pair of bodyguards that every girl needed. The sound of her voice on the phone would set his helicopter tail off wagging in excitement as he heard his best friend. This was just the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Fast forward three years on and their friendship is unbreakable. She calls him her baby boy and ensures that he has everything that he needs. On Christmas Eve she tucked him in and told him to go to sleep early ready for Santa to bring him his present. As she placed his heart pillow underneath his heavy head, she whispered “I love you so much Munch”, to which he gave her a doggy kiss in return. There may never be much peace and quiet with these two around when they are together but there is always peace and love in their own shared world. What else could I ever wish for on Earth?

However, you spent your holidays, I hope that you found your own version of peace somewhere. Love and blessings.

Your International Day Of Peace

Tags

Peace, Unconditional Love, World Peace Day

World Peace Day is a day that I wish could be lived every single day without fail. A day when egos remain asleep and unconditional love wakes up among the seven million souls on this earth. A day that holds no animosity, only respect for one another. Wouldn’t it be great to no longer feel negative about differences, only positive towards accepting another way? Such days do not belong in fiction books alone but can be in our everyday reality if we choose it. There is always a different way.

We may not be able to influence world leaders from the comfort of our homes, but we can always become the leaders in our own world that stands apart from others. Choosing to fight against war will never be as powerful as invoking peace in every area of life that you can. Waiting for others to help with campaigns will never bring you as much satisfaction as you are helping yourself in whatever way you can.

Giving what we can, however we can to help create peace in the world will always make a difference. Have a negativity detox in your life where you only allow in positive energy around you will leave you and others feeling far more peaceful. Being kind to loved ones and strangers alike will break down boundaries between the us and them mentality that creates more separation than unity ever can. Let us be the lead in change in our own community however we can.

Plant a tree to make peace with nature or throw a peace party deep in the woods to connect to the oneness of life. Help in whatever you can in your own community and fill the void that nobody else wants to fill. Give to charity the equivalent of what you would spend on materialistic items you will forget, to make a difference that will never be forgotten. Think of a new way of dealing with old negative patterns that you find yourself repeating and look at the world through fresh new positive eyes.

We do not have to wait until World Peace day of 21st September each year for us to create the peace we want to see in the world. Use this day as the start of a New Year of peaceful living in your own unique style and make the difference that you want to see in the world count.

Time To Rest

Tags

Animals, Dog, Guide Dog, Humour, Labradoodle, Peace, Rest

The cheek of it. Of course, I can have another rest break just minutes after my last one if I want. Who does she think she is? My Owner???? Pfft, she wishes.

Us guide dogs work hard. Okay, so maybe most of them work harder than me as I do like the more relaxed approach to life but so what? I am who I am. Here I sit against this lovely tree, taking in my surrounds and feeling one with nature.

Some would suggest that I am sitting here watching the squirrel in a nearby tree, wondering if my maid that I am with will let me go and play chase with it but no I am quietly sitting her observing the surrounding area, carrying out a risk assessment for my maid. I mean, if we were both to go up the tree with said squirrel just to say hi. I know her clumsiness would cause a kerfuffle.

The sceptical among the two legged less hairy race may think that I need extra rest today after helping Angus the cat eat his left-over food and helping clean up the debris on the floor when the bag of chips from the chip shop ended up there. The silly maid left it too close to the edge of the kitchen unit and when I put my front paws on the unit to check what it was, I happened to knock it off with my larger than life nose. Not only was I demonstrating my sniffer dog detection abilities, but I also went that extra mile to unwrap the packaging with my nimble paws and eat up the slip hazard that lay in front of us. I know, I am all heart.

To those who do not know how regal beings such as I work, they may think that my sit-down protest by the tree could be since my cruel maid has said I cannot go into the river for a bank holiday dip. Apparently, I have had enough swims this week and she won’t have time to shower me for work tomorrow. How can she not love my soggy doggy river smell when it is my favourite smell in the World? My au natural aroma apparently is not that alluring to the two legged less hairy race that walk this earth. What is wrong with these people? Do they not know canine class when they smell it?

As I look longingly into the maid’s friend’s camera, I hope that my adoring fans realize how hard I work and deserve these impromptu rests. My squirrel resistant resilience that lives in my food filled stomach in my Olympic swimming physique body is just one aspect of me. My tolerance of the hired help that believes that she is the boss, should be officially recognised. My regal standing in the canine kingdom, should be respected by those of lower standing than I. As I am part poodle, my innate intelligence should allow me automatic entry into Mensa. Do I need to list anymore?

The humble part of me, however, is willing to carry on with this walk today in my own time. You cannot rush perfection and that is what I am. I think my maid has guessed by now after the two years together. that I am the leader and she must follow. She knows her place and I know mine.

Whatever the reason, take time to rest. A rested soul will always have enough energy to catch up with life when it is good and ready and show up to adventures that are waiting for them.

Choose To Live Your Life

Tags

Alternative, Beauty, Choice, Life lessons, Peace, Thanks, Wishes

From seed to bloom, flowers reach their full potential when they are supported in the right environment. Growing into the beautiful best versions of themselves comes from allowing nature to take its course, and not allowing resistance to get in the way. When life is supported to create true beauty, it can mesmerize even the saddest of souls.

The short lifespan of the dragonfly does not dictate the happiness of its life. With over 5,000 species of dragonflies that have evolved over 300 million years, they continue to exist in a world that they only live in for a limited time. Symbolically, seeing a dragonfly is meant to show us transformation and the true meaning of the human life when it is likely that they are coming to the end of theirs.

As humans we have choice over how we live our lives even when we don’t feel that we do. Given the right conditions allows our true potential to be reached. Even in less than ideal conditions growth can happen if the drive to do so is present. Lifespans vary among us, but we always have a choice of what we do in our personalised lifespan. When dreams are reached from putting plans into action, your life can be full of nothing but achievements.

We are born on only one day and we will die one day but the average 28.000 days that many will spend on this earth is where true life begins and ends. When we fall in love with our own lives each day that we are blessed enough to wake up in, we begin to appreciate the miracle that we are living in. Making the most of the thousands of new days that we are blessed with helps us to realize just how big our world is.

Thanking each day that we are blessed with brings us closer to our true meaning of life that is unique to us. The life that we are living today reflects how much effort we have put into our lives so far. The beauty of human existence is that we always can create a new reality for ourselves if we wish to do so. Is the life that you are living today, the live that you truly want to live? If it is not, will tomorrow be the start of your new life?

When you choose to live and not just exist, you choose to live the life that you were born to lead.

Sight Loss and Parenting

Tags

Beauty, Blind, Children, Disability, Gratitude, Life lessons, Love, Parenting, Peace, Sight Loss, Thanks

Inhaling the heat on the skin and the unwanted scent of illness in the small body, you can use more than eyes to observe illness in a child. The activated response to a smell of a dry nappy becoming wet, alerts you to the need for a swift change. Opening the door to smell if there is petrichor in the air before it starts to rain, lets you know if the children will need coats to keep them dry. When a sudden whiff of Sudocrem joins you in the kitchen, you know you need to follow the trail to confiscate the pot and start the clean up operation on everywhere that you cherub has covered with this villain.

When silence falls in a chatty house, you need to peek to see who’s turn it is being the ringleader in the mischief being caused. When your child’s jangling zip on their boot gets further away from you in the playground, you need to follow the sound to keep them safely in ear shot. When you hear your child’s favourite toy fall, you pinpoint the exact location to reach your hand out to reunite it with its joyful owner. When you hear the whizz of the bike wheels coming towards you, you remind your child that you must always be aware of all oncoming dangers and wait to cross safely. As you hear the squeal of joy escape from their perfectly formed lips, you join their celebration despite not being able to see what is exciting them.

Remembering the different feel of each of their coats, you help put them on the right child for them to go and warmly explore the great outdoors. Differentiating between the pristine feeling lunchbox of one and the scuffed one of the other, you pack their lunchboxes with their personal choices. Touching the top of your child’s head and feeling their unique hair type, you can tell the difference between your children of similar height. Cutting toe nails by touch, you learn to trust your judgement to do what others do by sight. Picking up toys with fingers on high alert, allows you to keep their favourite games together for the next time they want to play.

Knowing that they are going to fall before they do, allows you to be there to catch them. Tuning into the energy of their friends to know which will always make them happy, you are alert to those who will upset them and prepare youself to be there for them when they do. Knowing that you will not make the meeting as you need to be prepared, you are able to act calmly when the phone call from school comes when they have had an injury. Being assertive enough to tell doctors that they are wrong about it being a stomach bug and telling them it is actual a ruptured appendix, you don’t get shocked when they rush your child to theatre as you are just glad they caught it in time.

Memories of raising four beautiful children under the age of six, fills me with love and joy. These wildly different souls who are now adorable young adults, mesmerised me with their abilities as they grew. I may not have been able to see their expression filled faces or the true sweet mischief that they caused but I always saw their unique selves. Eyes only allow us to see what we want to see but other senses allow us to know on a deeper level. Maybe if I was gifted with sight from birth, I may not have known my children as I know them today. As my little cluster of beautiful being’s glide through life in whichever direction they want to take, I hope I can still learn from them each and everyday and see them exactly as they are.

I love you all in every way that you are.

The Magic Of The Moment

Tags

Alternative, Beauty, Gratitude, Life lessons, Loss, Peace, Thanks, Wishes

As his giggled words “you make a better door than a window” floated through the air to his friends in the park, they all knew what he meant. Just as dense sooty fog obscures the vision of the driver, doors instead of windows allow only imperfect long vision. As necks crane around the seated human in front of them to see into the distance, a feeling of missing out washes over many. When tired blurry eyes loose focus and cannot see with clarity, the haze of the observed objects can be frustrating to the eager eye. Debris from life that ends up in conjunctiva, will always be under the threat of eviction as the owner of the eye tries to remain focussed on resuming normality. Temporary loss of sight is seldom welcomed.

The wave of panic that hits as soon as we lose what we feel what is rightfully ours, immerses us in a feeling of helplessness. A loss of a sense that has worked for us for so long, becomes our enemy as soon as we think it is working against us. We can often forget to thank the abundance of opportunity that the sense has given us in life and go straight into the lack of the moment that we are living in. Patience is a strength that we believe that we often use unless it is in times where it is temporarily not there. When we are so busy focussing on the obstacles that may have sneakily been placed there to push our problem-solving skills, we are forgetting to look at the object with love.

When you cannot see what others can, you learn to imagine what it is they talk about. The frustration that they feel about looking at things that causes them disgust, you feel protective about these things that they disregard. Talking about sights that they see daily but don’t seem to be in awe of, you feel blessed about by being given a chance to enter a world that you have never been in. The wise teachings that the sighted give about the world around us, you take in and memorize the beauty of it all. If disagreements between the sighted occur about what looks the best, you take the best bits and leave the rest as you learn what it must be like to see with clarity.
Next time you see a door when you really want to see a window, thank the person who made such a useful thing. As fog falls all around you, feel the change in atmosphere that nature has blessed upon you. When the person in front of you that is blocking the view irritates you, take a moment to bless that person’s existence as you never know how they may help you of you ever meet again. Tired eyes can always be refreshed so listen to your body’s need to recharge and look later at things through fresh eyes. If debris is an unwanted guest, stop for a moment to think is there a reason that you have been forced to stop what you are doing? Chances are there is a good reason.

If we learn to change the perception of barriers in loss into the discovery of the true beauty in life, we can stop and appreciate what once we disliked. The place to be is always in the moment.

A Day In The Life Of A Healer

Tags

Animal, Autism, Children, Dog, Gratitude, Guide Dog, Healer, Healing, Kindness, Love, Mental Health, Peace, Thanks, Unconditional Love

Pulling towards each other, they met in the middle and fell into each other’s space. Like two familiar souls, these strangers created a unity that looked like it had existed for an eternity. The connection that anchored the pair rooted on the spot at the train station, gave an insight into the world of the unspoken realm of healing. Munch sensed the need for this girl to feel secure before she entered another day in the unknown world of school life. Meeting a highly anxious young girl with autism, triggered off the natural healing instinct in him to come alive. The kisses that he planted on her beautiful face reassured her that she would get through another day and be just fine.

When Munch chose what I thought was a random seat on the train, I had no idea that we would be sitting opposite a man who was losing his sight. As we chatted away and Munch gave his paw and heart to the man, he must have known that this was the place that we really needed to sit. We listened to how the man had been patiently waiting for a guide dog for the last year and a half, yet his vision seemed to be in a hurry to deteriorate. The questions that poured out from him were answered verbally by me and physically by Munch. Hearing the words “I know my wait will be worth it after meeting this furry fella” reaffirmed the positive impact that Munch has on the life of another.

Throughout the working day he continued to spread his healing magic to lonely children that he made feel loved, gave self esteem to those that had little and absorbed the stress that invaded the lives of many. His calming presence that filled the room allowed our clients to leave the chaos of life on the other side of the door and embrace the forgotten peace that lay within each of them. Sharing his toys with those that had forgotten the fun of play in childhood triggered sleepy parts of them that needed to reawaken. Demonstrating his pure love for life was the best infection that anyone could ever catch.

Later that night in training in work, he lightened the mood as the heaviness of the subject permeated the room. The sombre subject of suicide triggered deep emotions in the room that Munch tired to even out. He whimpered in a way that seemed to speak of the groups sadness and began using his Munch like qualities to magic it away. Lying on his back with paws to ceiling he began doing his happy dance with tongue flopping out of his mouth and tail wagging to try and turn frowns upside down. He even went around to kiss each person one by one and gave an extra hug to someone who had just lost her dog. His love was all that was needed.

This healer works in ways that has no structure, just freedom in all that he does. Once met never forgotten, he moves through life in his own unique way on a life path that he was meant to live. Leaving people feeling better in whatever way he can is his personal motto in life. We may never know the positive impact that we have on peoples lives but our impact should always be positive. If we cannot heal another then we should not harm. If we each took small steps to heal ourselves and others in whatever way we can, there would never be anything left to heal as how can we heal perfection?

I Forget That I Cannot See

Tags

Achieve, Blind, clarity, Gratitude, Motivation, Peace, Possibility, Sight Loss

As my fingers expand out from the located space bar on my laptop, I forget that I cannot see. As I feel for and find the glass of water that sits exactly an arms-length away from me I forget that I cannot see. As I find the different textured coats hanging up on the coat hangers and locate the smooth coat with metal buttons, I forget that I cannot see. As I feel for Munch’s Guide Dog harness to get him ready for our walk, I forget that I cannot see. As my fingers dance in stillness towards the handle on the door, I forget that I cannot see.

As my hand trails the rail that leads us from the front door to the gate, I forget that I cannot see. As we walk the rehearsed steps that we have learnt to dance along the way, I forget that I cannot see. As we step over the blown concrete that is 17 steps away for the bend in the path, I forget that I cannot see. As we smell where the freshness of nature ends, and the staleness of buildings begin, I forget that I cannot see. As I wait patiently for the engines to stop zooming by on the road so that we can safely cross, I forget that I cannot see.

As we enter the shop and Munch takes me to the food that I ask him for, I forget that I cannot see. As he finds the worn-out spots that we stand on each time we are here, I forget that I cannot see. As I feel the familiar products that we want, I forget that I cannot see. As I hold the product next to my nose to check its established blur, I forget that I cannot see. As Munch finds the checkout I feel that the conveyer belt is free, I forget that I cannot see. As I find the money in my well-ordered purse, I forget that I cannot see.

As we walk home with wandering minds, I forget that I cannot see. As he leads me home whichever way he fancies, I forget that I cannot see. As I trust that tomorrow will be an equally fulfilling day, I forget that I cannot see. As I crave the new opportunities that always provides excitement in our lives, I forget that I cannot see. As I feel thankful for being here to think these thoughts, I forget that I cannot see.

As we go through life focussing on the negatives, we forget that we can live another way. As we go through life we focus on what we can’t do more than what we can. Whatever you are facing in life, remember that we can forget to allow these things to get in the way as we learn new ways to successful living. Remembering to forget may be the secret to your perfect life.

The Simplicity Of Inner Peace

Tags

Freedom, Gratitude, Happiness, Inner Peace, Inspire, Kindness, Love, Peace, Positivity

Each person has their own version of what inner peace is and none of them can ever be wrong. Whilst one person’s inner peace may be found at a noisy gig, another’s may be found during a lengthy pilgrimage. Inner peace has less to do with volume and more to do with absence. Peace has this way of meaning the same in a multitude of different ways yet never looses its purity. Our own inner peace has always been there, but we can sometimes forget to visit it in our busy lives.

Inner peace to me gets triggered by the most varied of things that I wish will never change. The sound of excited children playing on a school yard instantly brings stillness to my firework mind. My children’s achievements bring harmony to my heart and my granddaughter’s hugs suck me into serenity that no words can ever describe. A friend’s happiness brings contentment at witnessing their joy. Acts of kindness between strangers takes me to that place of peace that lays in humanity.

Inner Peace for Munch kicks in when he is having his belly rubbed and chin stroked and falling deeper and deeper into bliss. Being out in nature whether working or off duty, helps him recharge his soul’s tranquillity and feel at ease. As we sit and meditate together, the music entices him into a dreamy snooze where only happy thoughts linger. The simplicities in life are the culprits for his inner peace.

Inner peace is an addiction that never hurts but always heals. A place where solutions lay if we stop long enough to find them. Adrenaline junkies can feel threatened in this place where they can no longer ‘do’ but can only ‘be’. Cages cannot be rattled in this place of silence, but wings can soar wherever they wish to go in this land of opportunity.

What if you have never known anything but inner peace? Do you dare to tell others and risk looking like the alien in a world full of disharmony? Is it better to keep your positive outlook on life a secret from the vampires that suck joy from pure moments? Is your version of reality filled with nothing but love where others only see hate? Should other peoples doubt on the simplicity of peace ever stop you talking about it? Finding peace may bring up such questions but will always provide far more answers so why do we not all seek it?

Inner peace is not given to a select few and withheld from the masses, it is a thing that we all have within us. We can choose to side step it to willingly seek out chaos as an alternative or we can choose to remain in it regardless of chaos. We can choose to blame outside dramas for our lack of inner peace or we can use our inner peace to dilute the dramas that will inevitably crop up in life. Inner peace is whatever we make it.

Being unable to see the outside world as most do, inner peace to me has always been a magnetic draw in an alien world. When you find such a place in your life, you really want to share it with everyone and help them find their own inner peace. If you are ever battling to get there, you may just need to find an alternative route to this place that is eagerly waiting for you. However, you get there, I am just happy you will arrive in the place that is rightfully yours. Happy peace finding.