Life

Life is a big thing, isn't it? I mean, it's full of so much diversity -- I am in awe when I try to fathom the breadths and depths of the diversity of life. Life is full of ecstatic highs and dark mucky lows, and it usually follows a cycle that goes something like "birth, living, death, rebirth." This week has been a lot of that...

On Sunday of last week, I realized that my female puppy was sick, so I lined up some financial assistance for a vet visit and brought her in. That vet was painfully unhelpful, and I left more of a mess than when I had gotten there. So, I went to another vet, who seemed more capable of answering my questions and easing my anxiety about the whole thing. Both vets assuring me that it was serious but (although they couldn't guarantee anything) she wouldn't die in the morning, before I was able to come back for treatment. I knew she was so sick, and it broke my heart.

The next morning, she was indeed dead <3 Maybe some people won't get how this impacted me, but I had loved them as much as any baby of mine. I was plagued with all the doubt and guilt and pain any mama would be. I raced my boy puppy into the vet (in place of his sister) and found out they had parvo. The vet was so very grave to tell me this. I'd researched it before when we thought that our female had it right after we had gotten her, so I knew a bit, but I wasn't aware of the statistics that the vet shared with me: parvovirus is so serious that only 80% of dogs treated at the hospital made it, and a devastating 15% made it through home treatment.

Well, I knew he would make it. I saw him in our lives for a long time, so I was sure he was going to pull through, but I was afraid of how much pain he would suffer through and how much it would require from me. Today is Sunday, again, and he has started eating today (hasn't eaten in 3 or 4 days), stopped tossing liquids back up yesterday, and has found a renewed interest in chasing the cats. We made it. Still recovering, but we made it <3

I mourned my girl for a couple days, crying buckets at the drop of a dime, but it got drowned out in the caring for Kai. The only one who misses her more than me is him. In fact, I could barely assess his state because he is so depressed about losing his sister. He was there for every minute. He knows how she was taken from us. I've processed so much of the guilt and sadness, and I feel just grateful for how she blessed our lives by gracing us with her presence for the short 4 months that we had her. Her death has spurred some rebirth in our lives, birth of renewed appreciation for Kai, birth of revisiting how I feel about vaccinations for my pets and other safety and quality of life stuff, birth of being reminded of how grateful we are for life and for living.

In addition to fighting for life with my puppy, I found myself fighting with a family member who I have always wanted to be close with but felt so much anxiety concerning. We have a long history (family - duh! lol), so there was a lot for me to revisit. It was such an amazing opportunity for self-reflection and practicing being true to me. Every scathing detail was exquisitely delicious, as I learned that I am more confident in myself than ever before and that nothing that could be said by said family member could harm my tender innards. There were more amazing lessons than I could remember (processed and integrated!) or express (without boring you to pieces). We will just say that some of my deepest fears of life bounced off of me like rubber bullets :) In fact, so much of the negative judgments that I once held about myself and am aware from others, I am now able to embrace and see as a success :))

For example, what once felt slightly like I fail at romantic relationships, I now see as my success at holding together a rich and loving relationship while I could and being healthy enough to let it go when the time came for it. The fact that me and my last love still talk almost every day and can process things that come up together along the way tells me that I am very good at having healthy relationships :)) Go me! lol There were many other things that came up for me and for my beloved family member that had this same kind of "ah ha!" inspiring impact on me. It has left me on a total life high for a couple days now :)))))
Unclogging blockage in my life is liberating beyond words. I no longer have all that old stuff pooling and festering inside me in regards to this relationship, old outdated things that are irrelevant to this life that I have personally designed. Who knows what this relationship may be from this day forward, but I am excited to say in the very least it will be real and it will be present. Also, it inspires me in my ability to revisit some estrangement between my mom and I.

In the course of my deep and mucky week, Mother Earth decided to manifest her own deep and mucky growth. My heart goes out to Japan right now. I've missed most of the details, but I wanted to share something I read back when Australia had some serious flooding in January. It shifted my perspective on these kinds of things and on life in general. It was written by Wild Women on facebook, and I hope it helps you find peace and healing, too <3

"Birthing Woman. Waters break, gushing everywhere. Mess. Pain. Transition sets in. Out of control. Panic. Will I survive? Howling agony, please let this be over. The birth. Joy above joys. Relief! Time to clean up. Celebrate. Could it be the Mother is birthing? They called the Lockyear Valley flood an inland tsunami. ...It feels like S...he is birthing and we are her midwives, whispering support, offering love and tender care. The birth was tough. And now the clean up. What is she birthing? Perhaps deeper heart connection between human beings, an opportunity to rebuild with 'environmentally friendly' as the key word, different approaches to building and farming. A clean start. We will gain more understanding as time passes what the bigger picture is. Meantime, for those caught in Her wake, those affected by her labour, we offer our tears. She is not revengeful, mean or unjust, just when we stand in her path we become part of Her journey."