Life

Follow your heart

“I know many people will say that they don’t know what their joy or life’s work is. But I’ve worked with thousands of people, and I’ve always seen the same exact thing happen. When you take your desires seriously, you suddenly know what to do. We often don’t know what we love, because we don’t pay attention to the interests or activities that don’t look as if they will be financially rewarding or fit into our existing lives. But where there is electricity, there is power. You may need a sacred time-out for reflection or the company of someone who is on fire with their own life to help you ignite your innate direction. Remember, your doubt is not “realistic.” It’s conditioned. Just because a tribe of uninformed or frightened people agree on a reality does not make it real. There is an emerging tribe of people, myself included, who will tell you that it’s more realistic to believe in your natural strengths, your inner resources, and the formidable power of love.

This much I know: You do have a life purpose. You do have inspired work to do. You have enough love and energy in you to create absolutely any circumstance you need. Why would it ever be good judgment to ignore your own gifts, desires, and blueprints to the divine? Why would it ever be frivolous to ride the river of your joy, especially when it meant that you could make a unique contribution to our society, and would have more aliveness, hope, and promise to offer those around you? When did despair and suffering become the measure of productivity and contribution? How did facing down our fears and limitations become viewed as being soft-hearted and dizzy? Human culture has evolved and expanded because of those who followed a vision, not because of those who swallowed one.

So, what soul calling have you been telling yourself isn’t practical? What desires have been knocking at your door? Are you willing to trust your love more than your fear? This path may not be easy, but it will soothe and liberate you more than anything else ever will. Dare to dive deep into your lifetime. Follow your heart no matter what.”  Tama J. Kieves

Animals

“My Octopus Teacher”

“My Octopus Teacher” is now one of my favorite films and I urge you to watch it.  It is a great story about a man who befriends an octopus.  Admittedly, I was not a fan of octopuses because I was scared of them.  After seeing this film, I have become a fan and am truly amazed by them.  Can you imagine, most of them only live for only 1-2 years and basically give up their lives to give birth to their offspring.  And they can change color, their shape, and their texture!  Wow, what if we could do that?  Octopuses are also very intelligent, they can very quickly figure out a strategy to outwit the sharks who wish to eat them and when to inject venom into a mollusk for dinner.

Here is the link for the film trailer:

and a link to the Sea Change Project, a nonprofit dedicated to making connections between humans and animals, and the wild places where they live.  https://seachangeproject.com/

Kindness

Happy New year!

This is one of my favorite times of the year and yet, I know many have struggled.  2020 brought COVID-19 and deepened social unrest.  Both affected economies all over the world, and the lives of each one of us.  Still, we witnessed the heroism of nurses and doctors who work in our hospitals and nursing homes, and random acts of kindness from many people around us.

Playing my violin has allowed me to find beauty, even in the darkest hours.  It makes my heart lighter, and in essence, is an act of self-care.  May you find something or someone who adds to your smile and touches your soul.  May you have happiness and be free from suffering.  And may the joy of the season and the new year touch and heal your heart.

Animals, Children

Vote

Vote

Vote because you care about your children’s future.

Vote because you care about your grandchildren’s future.

Vote to protect wild animals and endangered species.

Vote to keep families together.

Vote because women are human beings and not sex objects.

Vote to stand for a unified country.

Vote to bring people together and not tear them apart.

Vote because you care.

Please vote, your voice matters!

Thank you.

Previously published in 2018

Animals, Leadership, Life

Do Something Now

To say we are living in challenging times is an understatement.  We are witnessing great tragedies among us and are facing many divides.  What I would like to say is that we are all in this world together.  We may not have the same beliefs or backgrounds but we all wish to be safe, we all wish to be loved, and we all wish to have a home.  That goes for human beings and animals alike.

Fires are whipping through California destroying homes, crops, and killing animals.  COVID-19 has taken many loved ones away from us.  And artists, the ones who inspire and uplift us, are struggling to make a living and pay their rent.  I urge you to support them, as it is the painters, musicians, actors, and dancers who touch us and make us better people. 

Go buy a piece of art directly from an artist such as Donna Grande.  Her art is stunning and the link is below! Donate money to a struggling performing arts group or an animal welfare organization like the World Wildlife Fund.  Please do something  –whether you spend a dollar or $2,000.  Just make a positive difference.  Lives are in your hands.

http://www.donnagrande.com

Nature

Nature’s Power

Blue Ridge Mountains by Nicole Altneu

“Man has created lovely dwellings

some soul-stirring literature.

He has done much

to alleviate physical pain.

But he has not…..

created a substitute for a sunset,

a grove of pines,

the music of the winds,

the dank smell of the deep forest,

or the shy beauty of a wildflower.”

Harvey Broome

Carbon Footprint Reduction

6 Months to go

Green Economy

The International Energy Agency shared plans, last month, for a green recovery.  It said we need to change how we generate energy and consume it.   We should focus on using solar power and wind, make buildings and industries more energy efficient, and the modernize electricity grids.


As governments spend more than $9 trillion to reinvigorate economies over the next months the priority should not be on rescuing the high carbon economy, such as fossil fuel companies, but on the green economy and jobs of the future.


Carbon emissions fell by 17% in April but are already starting to go back up.  Experts say we have 6 months to avoid a complete rebound.  And they warn that we need to keep emission levels falling in order to avert some of the worst catastrophes to come.

The good news, investment in a sustainable recovery plan would create almost 9 million new green jobs each year.

Animals, Climate Change, Water

No clean air, no clean water?

We all need clean water and clean air.

Right now, more than ever, we need clean water, clean air and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.  Clean air and clean water are integral to our health, and to the lives of animals.  Without them our immune systems are compromised and we are less able to fight off increasingly virulent viruses.  If we keep increasing the amount of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide (all greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere the planet will continue to heat up.  This in turn, will help to further the spread of deadly illnesses.

Sadly, the Trump administration shows no concern for any of the aforementioned things.  In fact, it is busy weakening or rolling back 98 environmental rules.  His administration, for example, has loosened rules to reduce toxic emissions from industry, has weakened fuel mileage standards for cars, has relaxed air pollution emission levels from new power plants, has lifted a ban on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, is now allowing coal companies to dump mining debris into streams, is allowing hunting in wildlife refuges, is putting more endangered marine mammals and sea turtles at risk to be killed by fishing, and is making it more difficult to protect wildlife with changes to the Endangered Species Act.

It is time to speak out again.  It is time to reach out to your senators and congressional representatives to tell them to protect our water, air and our environment.  Please call or email them, time is of the essence.

ANIMAL WELFARE, ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY Copyright_2023