August: The Sun

I wrote this draft in August, and while it’s getting posted in September, I’m counting it as my August post because I’m a writer and I can do that.

As we prepare to (hopefully) move out of this second wave of 100°+ weather, the card for August had to be… The Sun.

The sun is an image of optimism, the light that follows the dark, the source of all life. A naked child playing happily on a horse is the featured image. It represents the happiness of our inner self – when we are true to ourselves and have nothing to hide. The horse is controlled without the use of hands, and is symbolic of perfect control/balance of our conscious and unconscious selves. The brick wall behind them represents the physical limitations of this world, but here it acts only as a support for four beautiful sunflowers – representing life and the abundance of the spirit under the sun.

This is a card of plenty. The Sun gives you strength and reassurance that no matter where you go, your positivity will follow and draw people to you. This is a beautiful, warm, energy and will see you through tough times. You’ve struggled through the dark and The Sun now lights your way. This is when you feel enlightened and can finally see the path ahead of you. The lesson of this card is to value the gift of life and it’s abundance, as our ancestors valued the warmth and energy of the sun.

August, at my house, marks the beginning of “abundance.” We are fortunate to have apple trees, cherry trees, pear trees, and even a peach and apricot tree. My zucchini plants have survived the heat waves and are producing. The black berries are plentiful and perfectly timed for peach/black berry cobbler. It is a wonderful time of year, for sure, but also busy. I have a day job that requires much of my time, a husband who still loves me and wants to spend time with me, and kids at home. I have very little time for myself or any sort of self-care, and now, with all the abundance at our home, I am even more hurried and strapped for time as I try to preserve and make the most of what Mother Nature has blessed us with. The Sun card is a good reminder to be grateful for what I have.

Many do not have an abundance of fruit. Many are hungry and would love to have too many zucchinis. Many don’t have spouses who, after 20+ years of marriage, still think them beautiful and crave their attention. Many don’t have teenagers who still want to go paddle boarding or bowling with their parents. Many don’t have homes with gardens that need tending, or animals that love unconditionally and need daily care.

My older son was scheduled to go to Spokane Falls Community College and run track for them next month. Unfortunately, a shoulder dislocation and probable surgery has changed his plans, and now he’s scheduled to attend the local JC. He’s sad, but instead of looking at it like his life has ended, he has a positive energy and is focusing on saving money (he’ll be living at home instead of paying rent), already has a job (doesn’t need to worry about how he’ll pay his bills), and is looking forward to growing some of the friendships he’s made this summer.

He definitely has the vibe of The Sun, and while I was looking forward to him spreading his wings, I am also relieved that he’ll still be here where I can help him continue to grow a little while longer. This isn’t a forever set back, just a fork in the road he didn’t see coming.

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity… It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Melodie Beattie, Author

So, my readers, in this time of abundance and needs fulfilled, I encourage you to take a breath. Take a look around and see where your life is abundant. See it through the eyes of another, and be grateful for everything you have, including the accompanying obligations. Know The Sun reflects the Law of Attraction – send that positive energy out into the Universe, and you will receive positive energy back. Enjoy these times and remember to give thanks.

My thoughts are my own, but my pictures are generally found on Pexels. If you like what I write, please share with your friends or someone you think would like it! I’d love it if you follow me on Facebook (Melissa Gale), Instagram (write2unpack), or Twitter (@write2unpack). If you have any topics you’d like to talk about, reach out to me at write2unpack@gmail.com. Oh, hey, and if you sign up to follow me, you’ll never miss a post!

German Shepherd Guidance, Part 2

We said goodbye to a Good Girl this week. My family and I belonged to Jack Jack for about 13 years, and she was an amazing addition.

When Jack Jack was about 2 months old a friend of mine brought her into the office where we worked. The moment I saw her my heart whispered “mine,” and a few months later I got the call and I knew I would. She was part of our pack, and we were part of hers.

Jack Jack taught without trying, and set a good example for me and my children. Today’s post is in remembrance of her, and an update on an earlier post (here’s the link) about the guidance from our German Shepherd.

1.  Be loyal. Everything Jack Jack did was because she was loyal to her pack. From the way she would stomp her feet at the chickens – not to hurt them, but to make them poop so she could eat it, the way she tamed Jacqueline (the cat) when no one else could get close to her, to the way she patrolled the house every night before settling in where she could watch over everyone. German Shepherds will love you and stick with you until their last breath. We returned that loyalty to her. We loved her fiercely and did everything possible to save and protect her.

2.  Touch and snuggle. Jack Jack was a hugger. She’d come up to you and put her head in between your arm and your side and push into you. She’d hook you with her tail when standing next to you. She was good about staying off the furniture, but if you were sitting on the floor she would come and stand over you and either sit in your lap or hug you on the neck with her big, fuzzy, head.

3.  Listen. Jack Jack listened intently when you talked to her. I think she actually understood me. So much of communication is not in the words we say. She didn’t judge, and loved me even more when I talked to her. She reminded us of the importance of listening to others, even if you don’t understand them. Listen without judgment.

4.  Think. Shepherds are super intelligent. Jack Jack could solve a problem by looking at it, thinking about it, and then making a decision. Sometimes the best way to get through something is to wait, look, and think about it. Sometimes that thinking got her into trouble. Like when she was home alone during the day and figured out how to get the garbage lid off and took out the garbage and lined it up in a very neat line across the living room floor. She definitely noodled that one out.

5.  Protect those you love. Jack Jack would run straight at anything she thought was a danger to us or any of her pack. We always knew the chickens were safe from skunks, weasels, or sneaky neighbor dogs when she was around. When we let Jaqueline out at night, Jack Jack would insist on going out to make sure it’s safe for her, and you could not open a door without her right by your side. This week was the first time in 13 years that I’ve filled my bird feeders without a guard dog to protect me from the ground squirrels. She was a good reminder to stand up and protect those you love.

6. Serve. Jack Jack loved us, protected us, made us laugh… she served our family in so many ways. She brought comfort, smiles, and tears of sadness at her loss. I hate that she’s not here, but I love that she made such an impact that her absence is enormous.

I miss her so much. My heart aches without her, but I know we made the most thoughtful and loving decision for her. I remember wrapping my arms around her, how she hugged me, and breathing her in. She smelled like fresh air, freedom, running through fields, and love.

This week, my readers, while my family and I process this loss, I encourage you to open yourself to the guidance of a German Shephard. Even if you don’t understand with your ears, listen with your heart. Love, protect, and serve each other.

Jack Jack “helping” me work remotely during COVID.

My thoughts are my own, but my pictures are generally found on Pinterest (you can find anything there!). If you like what I write, please share with your friends or someone you think would like it! I’d love it if you follow me on Facebook (Melissa Gale), Instagram (write2unpack), or Twitter (@write2unpack). If you have any topics you’d like to talk about, reach out to me at write2unpack@gmail.com. Oh, hey, and if you sign up to follow me you’ll never miss a post!

July: Strength

It’s July. The month of The Best Husband Ever’s birth, Shark Week, and also that time of year when it’s a race between me and the garden pests to see who can outlast the heat and claim the harvest. It’s no surprise this month’s card had to be: Strength.

Strength (the deck shown is the Sacred Rose Tarot) depicts a woman riding on the back of a lion (Leo, also the zodiac sign for July). The woman represents our strongest emotional and intuitive natures, and the lion represents our physical world of survival. The symbol of the double nimbus is seen above her head, representing spiritual and physical power fused into one. Both face the reader in direct confrontation, as if ready to charge at any moment. The woman is confident, calm, and in control of the powerful beast beneath her. Their hair intertwined, showing a unification of spiritual and physical power between them.

This is a card of subtle control. The woman does not use force to tame and control the lion. Instead, she gently weaves her fingers into its mane and whispers in its ear. Small and gentle does not mean weak.

We just went to a 4th of July barbeque, where a dear friend of mine hugged my husband and said, “You know, you are my inspiration.” (For those of you who don’t know, he has MS and currently suffers from coordination and mobility issues, among others…). July is hot and on a normal day he struggles to walk, always using a walker or, on bad days, a wheelchair. But he keeps going, always. He approaches this disease as a test of spiritual and physical challenges. In his mind, there is nothing he can’t do – he just has to do it differently. His indomitable spirit is a source of daily inspiration and motivation for me.

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”-Mahatma Gandhi

So, what does this have to do with Strength and subtle control? He’s making progress using the Wahls Protocol: walking better, losing weight, is cognitively clearer, and his mindset is noticeably more positive. While changing to the Wahls Protocol may seem like a big change (for those of you who haven’t heard about it, you can read about it here), changing our diet to be healthier really isn’t that big of a deal. Not when it leads to better health, better mobility, better brain function, right? And to me, if a simple diet change can make that big of a difference, why wouldn’t we do it. I’d rather him eat more veggies than take another prescription (he already has so many!), right? (Note: This is not a cure for MS, but a way to manage some of the symptoms.)

Also, his exercise program may seem “subtle” to many. He requires different exercise and stretching than the Regular Joe, and longer rest period to recover. If he attacked exercise with the force and crazed enthusiasm of a “normal” workout, he’d be wiped out and completely unable to walk or function. But approaching exercise with finesse has lead to better strength and shorter recovery times.

So, my readers, what choices are you currently looking at? What, in your life, have you been forcing and attacking, when maybe a softer, gentler approach might be more successful? Where are you “yelling,” when a whisper will lead you to your desired outcome?

In the words of my running coach, “Small changes lead to big changes.”

I encourage you to take some time this month and reflect. Look around you and see ways that little things can lead to big things, good or bad, and then choose wisely.

My thoughts are my own, but my pictures are generally found on Pinterest (you can find anything there!). If you like what I write, please share with your friends or someone you think would like it! I’d love it if you follow me on Facebook (Melissa Gale), Instagram (write2unpack), or Twitter (@write2unpack). If you have any topics you’d like to talk about, reach out to me at write2unpack@gmail.com. Oh, hey, and if you sign up to follow me, you’ll never miss a post!