Here's a submission by Sue Barker-Miller, who enjoys being outside and having the opportunity to watch and engage with other beings of this Earth.
My Beautify 125 Project
Beginning late in the summer of 2006, I began to walk in my neighborhood. I was enjoying being outside and getting the exercise that my body wanted to engage with. I walked a distance that was comfortable and while doing so, saw other people’s leavings. I decided to carry plastic bags with me and pick up the trash. Soon, I named my activity the Beautify 125 Project.
I pick up anything that I see that does not belong on the Earth naturally and that I am willing to carry at that moment. My walking distance gradually increased and I walked on days that I wanted to. One day I heard “Thank you.” I met a neighbor who shared his appreciation of my picking up the trash. I became aware my actions were being noticed by others. With the expressions of gratitude I’ve received from additional neighbors and passers-by, my heart has expanded with the knowing that I’m within a community.
On a day in April 2007, I decided to commit to walking every day. Four days later, I walked into a field to pick up that which didn’t belong and discovered an American Kestral, passed on, with no visible signs of injury. From that day, many birds, and then other animals crossed my path who had passed on. I realized my intention of daily walking had been heard and Spirit was gifting me the honor to bless these Beings and lay their bodies to rest in a peaceful place. I am also grateful to see many living Creatures and Plants.
Here are some of my Walking Journal entries from last July.
I was gifted to see a living Hairy Woodpecker with a white wing bar and a red crown…..
I saw a Bullfrog, lying upside down on the shoulder, passed on. I laid his body to rest in the damp ditch and covered him with wet leaves. A nice wet place for a frog!.....
I picked up something and realized it was a small wing feather of a Blue Jay!.....
Something in the ditch caught my eye. I was startled to see a female Deer, passed on. Oh, such a beautiful animal I was gifted to see and be with this morning…..
I saw a Killdeer bird scurrying sideways down a decline then displaying tail and raising up both wings from the elbow out. What a dance!...
My Beautify Project is a true lesson to me that when I engage from my heart, the effects of my actions ripple out and I receive many blessings in return.
What a great testament to really listening and being with the Earth and all her many forms of life! The roadside is beautified and all of life is enriched by the action one person choosing to care. Thanks, Sue!
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This fun piece was sent to us via email from our friend, Roy Bauer in Massachusetts. Oh, and don't even think about using spell check!
Are You one of the 55?
fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.
i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
Wow. How'd you do reading that? Both of us can read it which is why we always need help with proof reading! Speaking of that, we are very grateful to Catherine Valenza and Chris Bicknell Marden for pitching in and proofing Spirit Living magazine. Do you have a mind twister or puzzle that you'd like to share? Send it to us at: editors@spiritliving.org.
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Knut and Flocke
You may remember hearing about Knut, a baby polar bear who resides at the Berlin Zoo in Germany. He was born a little over a year ago and had been rejected by his mother at birth. In spite of the suggestions which were made about allowing him to die, he was raised by zookeeper Thomas Dorflein. Knut has become an ambassador for his species and he delights tens of thousands of people who visit the zoo each day.
Here is a lovely video of Knut and Flocke, a female polar bear cub, who was born under similar circumstances at the Nuremberg Zoo.
Here is an idea from a group of women calling themselves "Medicine Sisters Dreaming."
Calling Creative Dreamers! As We Dream - So We Become
"When we dream alone, it remains only a dream. When we dream together, it's no longer just a dream; it's the beginning of a new reality." -- Brazilian Proverb
Dreams are the seeds of the future. They have powerful creative and healing potential. Ancients from many cultures knew and understood the wisdom contained in dreaming, as well as the insight and power gained through expressing and sharing our dreams with one another. When we share and explore our dreams together, previously unknown possibilities are born; new futures take shape.
Take the first step in bringing your dream to life. Apply your creativity and imagination to turn your dream into a poem, drawing, collage, recipe, blueprint, or any unique creation, using a 4 X 6 post card as your canvas. Include the date, your age and where you live -- if you want. Then share your dream by mailing your hand-crafted creation to our collective dreaming arts project.
We dream that through this project, we will remind one another that we are all connected and demonstrate the power of women and girls coming together in dreaming, creating and healing our future. So whether it's a daydream, a dream that comes to you while your are sleeping, your heart's desire, a forgotten longing of your soul, a personal goal for your life or a broader vision for the world; you are invited to remember and give expression, shape, color, voice, texture and form to your inner vision, your dream and share it with the world.
Medicine Sisters Dreaming
9016 Everington
Grove City, FL 34223 USA Humm, while this action is specifically targeted to women and girls, we think this is a cool idea for everybody! Attention, men, women, girls and boys--how about sending your dream card to us at Spirit Living? We'll publish them in the magazine! Send your dream cards to: Spirit Living, PO Box 426 ,Yarmouth, Maine 04096 or email a jpg. of it to us at editors@spiritliving.org. Either way, please include your name and location for publication.
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Here is an email from Georgia's sea coast about a close weather call!
F1
This is a picture of the F1 tornado that ripped through Sea Palms where we live on St. Simons Island.
The tornado that hit Darien (45 min North of us) was an F3. We were very lucky that this skipped over our condos (but did touch down on either side of us).
Fortunately there were no injuries or deaths, but a lot of people in Sea Palms will be getting new roofs from all the downed trees.
Beverly Trainor,
Saint Simons Island, GA
Got weather stories and photos that you'd like to share? Send them to us at: editors@spiritliving.org.
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Here's a handy tip forwarded via email to SpiritLiving by Elaine Inman of Holbrook, NY.
I've been using aluminum foil for more years than I care to remember. Great stuff, but sometimes it can be a pain. You know, like when you are in the middle of doing something and you try to pull some foil out and the roll comes out of the box. Then you have to put the roll back in the box and start over. The darn roll always comes out at the wrong time.
Well, I would like to share this with you. Yesterday I went to throw out an empty Reynolds foil box and for some reason I turned it and looked at the end of the box. And written on the end it said, "Press here to lock end." Right there on the end of the box is a tab to lock the roll in place. How long has this little locking tab been there? I then looked at a generic brand of aluminum foil and it had one too. I then looked at a box of Saran wrap and it had one too! I can't count the number of times the Saran wrap roll has jumped out when I was trying to cover something up.
I hope I'm not the only person that didn't know about this. We admit that we never noticed it either.Sure enough, we checked out our own roll of foil and the tabs were there. Got handy tips, observations, stories and photos that you'd like to share? Send them to us at: editors@spiritliving.org.
