SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY

Sometimes what you see is not what you get. It's all perception.
This is our front deck stairway.
Rae

JOURNEY

Today we'll take a little journey. Remember, you don't have to move to travel.
Find a comfortable position, sit back, close your eyes and take a deep breathe. Be aware of your breathe, counting each breathe, feeling more relaxed with each breath. Unwind, erase the blackboard of your mind, and feel your tense muscles relaxing, as a wave of peace and love move down through your body.

Then, in your minds eye imagine a pleasant scene. This will be your special place, your safe place, your own little corner of the world in the middle of nowhere. Create this place to be exactly the way you want it to be, filled with your scene, your colors, your sounds, your aromas and textures. How you feel here is perfectly alright, for its your safe place. Find a comfortable place to sit and look around at your safe place. See yourself being happy and totally relaxed as you look around. Feel the warm sun on your shoulders, and the gentle breeze caressing your face. Anytime you feel the need to 'get away' or escape for a few moments, you can be here, by picturing your safe place in your minds eye.

I want you to follow my voice again as we walk down a smooth small stone path and you can feel the pebbles under your feet. Ahead you will see a huge brilliant rainbow colored balloon with a basket. Step into the basket and release the balloon. There's nothing to fear, its very safe. You'll float upwards through the clouds and drift along smoothly. What a wonderful relaxing feeling. Just drifting along. You'll find a pen and paper in the basket. Write down all your problems and conflicts, then crumple the paper and throw it over the side. Notice how light and happy you feel after you let the paper go.

The balloon will start drifting down slowly to where we started out. Be careful stepping out of the basket, as you are so totally relaxed.

Start to return to your room, and your chair and the sounds in this room. Slip easily into this time and this place as you hear my voice and begin to wake up. Take a deep breath, staying relaxed and calm as you open your eyes and look around the room. You will remember the journey to your safe place and can return there anytime just by picturing your little corner of the world in your mind.

ADIEMUS

ANGELS

“I'm scared,” the little girl said as she looked up at me. “What can I do?”
With her bright eyes filled with unshed tears, and her soft angelic face framed by soft curly hair, she reminded me of someone. She kept saying, “What can I do? I don't know how to change, I don't know what change means.”
I knelt down to eye level and smiled at the sweet face, and watched one fat tear slide down her cheek and plop onto my skirt leaving a tiny dark wet spot.
“It's not about you changing, it's about me needing to change and you helping me, 'cause I don't know how.” I said. ”maybe we can change together.”
“I still don't understand.” she said softly, but she grasped my outstretched hand and we set off down the road. She was so trusting.
“It's about learning how to be like a little child again, I think, and I've forgotten how to be child-like.” I said, almost more to myself than to my walking partner. What am I supposed to be learning from this little girl. This child that reminds me of someone.

Before long we came to a fork in the road. One road sign read 'Change road.' The other sign said, 'Same way.'
“What do we do now? Which way do we go? I'm scared. Where are we?”I tried to reassure her and she calmed somewhat. I talked to her, telling her about me, about when I was a little girl.
“I think we're supposed to go down the road called Change.” We started walking again.
“She stopped and looked at me, “I trust you. I know you will keep me safe from harm.”
As we began to walk again, she said quietly, “And I Love you.”
I was struck by her words, her trust, her innocence. Is this what I am supposed to be learning, the trust and innocence and Love of a little child. What a big order for me to learn.
But learn it I will.
Reminds me of a phrase from my past, my childhood, ”....unless you change and become as little children....”


What's the rest of the phrase?

JUST THE BEAR FACTS MA'AM

Living in the mountains, we have a chance to interact with the wildlife at times. From the Blue Jays to the Humming birds. From the Racoons to the Squirrels and the little Chipmunks. We also have a Bobcat that shows up periodically. A lot of Coyotes wander these mountains, and altho not my favorite they have a right to live here too, I guess. But the scariest of all are the bears. We have had a lot of interactions with the bears over the years, mostly with me screaming at them. But the most recent was just a few days ago, I was resting, think about falling asleep, till I heard a commotion at the kitchen door and a clattering, something falling. I got up to investigate and David said a bear had tried to open the screen door and come in the kitchen where there was lucious pizza remnants on the counter. He only succeeded in loosening the pet guard on the door. David chased him off before he could do any more damage.

One time a bear noticed our car window was open a mite, just enough to get a few bear claws through and with a little pull the whole window would crumble, and well there might be food inside. There was only pretzels, which he strung all over the car and on the ground. When I went out to get in the car and go to the market, it took a second to realize what all the pretzels and glass were doing all over the ground. But I soon realized the truth of the situation.
Usually my interactions with our resident bears starts and ends with me screaming. Sometimes hysterically and always loudly.

Well, whats a person to do, when you wake up at 6am, and a Big Bear is looking at you over the tops of your feet. Well he was just walking by on his way to the kitchen. In my deep slumber, I had dreamed someone was fiddlin' with the bedroom screen door going out to the deck. Well someone was – Mr Bear- and when I saw him, I screamed, and screamed. And screamed again. Yelling 'Get outta here,' with as forceful a demeanor as I could muster, shaky as I was. He stopped and looked at me and I could see in his eyes, 'But lady, stop yelling. I just need breakfast.' And he kept walking to the kitchen. I screamed louder, if possible. NO,NO, I SAID, GET OUTTA HERE.' He sighed and gave up, thinking,( I know,) 'Good Grief, I can't stand to hear screaming.' So he slowly turned around, giving me a dirty look as his face passed within inches of my feet. Feet that I hastily drew up closer to my body. He left our room, and our house and went somewhere more hospitable. Thank God.