Love Is The Answer

For those who read my blog regularly, you know that I often wake with song lyrics playing in my head that are offering guidance. Today, I heard the song "Love Is The Answer"

If you are not familiar with the song, I have pasted the lyrics below. Sit with them, breathe them in and see where they take you. 

Name your price
A ticket to paradise
I can't stay here any more
And I've looked high and low
I've been from shore to shore to shore
If there's a short cut I'd have found it
But there's no easy way around it

Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer

Who knows why
Someday we all must die
We're all homeless boys and girls
And we are never heard
It's such a lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely world
People turn their heads and walk on by
Tell me, is it worth just another try?

Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer (let it shine)
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer (you know the answer is love)

Tell me, are we alive, or just a dying planet?
What are the chances?
Ask the man in your heart for the answers

And when you feel afraid, love one another
When you've lost your way, love one another
When you're all alone, love one another
When you're far from home, love one another
When you're down and out, love one another
All your hope's run out, love one another
When you need a friend, love one another
When you're near the end, love
We got to love, we got to love one another

Light of the world, you got to shine on me
Love is the answer
Shine on us all (know that love can save the day)
Set us free
Love is the answer
(Just give it, just one more chance)

Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer (love, love, love)
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer
(Lord, you just can't let it stop, Lord)

Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free

ps: This gorgeous picture was taken by my neighbor Liz Dioszegi back in January. 

Lucky For Me Has Finally Been Published!!

It is with great excitement that I share this . . . My book "Lucky For Me: A Journey of Healing and Self-Discovery" has finally been published and is available for purchase!!!  

It has been "in the works" or "on the shelf collecting dust" for so many years, I wasn't sure this day would ever come but as I explained in a recent blog post . . . some synchronicities and magic got it moving again and we finally crossed the finish line!!!

At the present time, I have decided to sell only through the publisher so if you feel inspired to purchase a copy of my book, you can go to: Lucky For Me - A Journey of Healing and Self-Discovery

The publisher and I chose to start with just paperback copies of the book. Down the line we will assess if we'd like to make it available as an e-book as well but at the moment it will only be available in the good old fashioned "hold it in your hand" way.  :-) 

In my last post, I shared a summary of the book so you can get a feel for what it is about. As for why I wrote the book and how I hope it will assist people, here is a paragraph from the prologue that will explain: 

I know I am not the only person who has had an intense bond with their animal, nor am I the only one who has gone to extremes to help an animal recover from the abuse they suffered or heal their own trauma. My intention in sharing our journey is to light the path for those who find themselves with similar challenges. Whether you are someone who is extremely sensitive and feels things very deeply or you are trying to heal the past or you are in the process of self-discovery, my hope is that you'll experience some "aha" moments and points of connection through this book that can assist you on your own journey, and maybe even inspire you to find your way to a deeper understanding and appreciation of all you have to offer too. 

Close To The Finish Line

In December, I was sure that my book "Lucky For Me" would be published in January. It seems the Universe felt I needed some more practice with PATIENCE, given that there have been quite a few unexpected delays in the last 6 weeks.  LOL 

I'm happy to say, we've got forward momentum again!! The proof of the book arrived today . . . the last opportunity to look through it and make sure everything looks right!!!  The next step is bringing it over to Annie the publisher so she can look through it as well and once we are both satisfied that the formatting, picture placement, etc. are all as we intended, then it will finally be "Go Time!"

Part of me can't believe this is finally coming to fruition!  It has been a big dream of mine for a very long time and the last promise I made to Lucky before she passed away. (That was twelve years ago). 

I am so excited about this, I just had to share!  More information coming in the next week or so on how to purchase a copy if you are interested!  

For now, here is the book summary if you want to know more about the content of my memoir that covers the journey of healing and self-discovery that Lucky and I went on from 1996-2009. 

From the time Maureen was a little girl, all she wanted was a German shepherd. Then one day she is inexplicably drawn to a news story about a shepherd puppy that had been used in a dog-fighting ring and then heartlessly discarded in a dumpster. Was this the German shepherd she was meant to have? An adoption lottery could answer that and change her life in unimaginable ways.

Lucky For Me takes us deep into the lives of Lucky, the severely abused German shepherd and Maureen, her adopter. Assuming the role of rescuer, Maureen set out on what felt like an insurmountable mission to help Lucky heal from her physical and emotional wounds. Along the way she was catapulted into her own healing journey. Will Lucky and Maureen be able to overcome the obstacles that life has dealt them?  

Maureen gives us an honest and introspective look at their quest to regain their confidence and find their way back to whom they are meant to be. As they endeavor to accept, heal and release the past, Maureen realizes how disconnected she is from her true self. 

While attempting to answer the question “Who am I?” pieces of the puzzle begin to reveal themselves in synchronistic and magical ways. Discovering the hidden gifts in her extreme sensitivity and empathic nature, Maureen’s bond with Lucky grows even stronger and more powerful. As the process of self-discovery unfolds, a new way of life emerges—one that finally feels like home. 

Lucky for Me is a true story about second chances and new beginnings. It follows Lucky and Maureen as they navigate the ups and downs of the somewhat rocky terrain to self-acceptance and self-love. Ultimately, their inspiring adventure shows us what is possible with love, courage, forgiveness, and trust.

The Magic of Synchronicities

I have been wanting to publish my book, Lucky For Me, for over a decade now. Unfortunately, I have experienced more challenges and disappointments in that process than I ever thought possible. Therefore, I keep shelving it . . . then pulling it out again . . . then shelving it once more. 

I'm happy to say it seems that NOW is the time for it to finally all come together! I thought it would be fun to share the magic that brought it all together in the last 4 months or so, so you can be on the look out for your own synchronicities!!

I had made up my mind that I would just publish the book myself but everyone I spoke with suggested the same "resource" that most people use to self-publish their books and it just wasn't feeling right to me. (Energetically it felt out of alignment). Over the last year, I've kept asking around, looking for other self publishing options that felt more in line with me but wasn't finding anything that felt right.

Out of the blue one day, I was looking at someone's facebook page. She is someone that I have respected for years but she had been banned from FB for sharing truthful information. She had been gone for quite some time, but I heard she was back and I couldn't wait to look at what she had been sharing since her return. While scrolling through all her recent posts, a picture caught my eye and it made me scroll back. It was a picture of she and two gentlemen and at first I thought one of the guys was my high school crush. LOL  After looking more closely at the picture and seeing these gentlemen's names, I realized it wasn't my high school crush after all, but I noticed that one of them was an author. 

Wondering if he might have some suggestions on self-publishing options that were more in line with me energetically, I looked up his website. Clicking on his contact information, my jaw dropped upon noticing he was in Santa Cruz! I emailed him right away and after a nice exchange it was determined that he didn't have information that could help me at this time. 

Later that week, I received an email from him letting me know that he does "author outreach" when he has time - to meet with fellow authors and chat about their books, etc.  He mentioned that he was going to be meeting with another author in the area the following weekend and that I was welcome to join them. 

Figuring that it was probably good for me to get out of the house, I said I'd be there - not with any expectations - it just felt like it would be nice to meet some other folks who were inspired to write books. My plan was to mostly just listen to them talk and see what I could glean from their discussion.

At one point during our get together, they asked what my book was about so I shared a quick synopsis of the book. The other author looked at me with a little glint in his eye and said "That sounds like it would be a perfect fit for the publisher I work with . . . let me get the two of you in touch with each other."

I couldn't believe it! Here I thought I was just going to listen to them talk and I ended up with a contact to a publisher who liked publishing books like mine! When I got home, I immediately got on the website and everything I read made my heart sing. From the description of why this couple created their publishing business to the energy I felt from the picture of them on their website, it felt so aligned with everything I had been hoping to find. Tingles ran up my spine and it was as if my whole body was saying "Yes!! . . . THIS is what you've been waiting for."

When I met with Annie, it confirmed everything I felt while visiting the website and more! That was when the process began.  I'm happy to say that we are weeks away from the book being available for purchase (More on that soon). 

Today, I felt moved to share the synchronicities that lead to this moment . . . to encourage others to keep following the nudges they receive, even if they don't seem to be leading anywhere at first. 

If I hadn't been scrolling through the gals FB page, if she hadn't posted a picture of herself with a guy who looked like my high school crush, if he hadn't been an author who lived so close to me, if he hadn't been nice enough to actually respond to my emails and then invite me to join in when he met with the other local author and if THAT gentleman hadn't put me in touch with his publisher, none of this would have happened.  I'm still in awe of how it all unfolded and how magical it all has been . . . 

In my heart, I truly believe this is how it is meant to work and yet I'm equally tickled to experience it when it's playing out in my own life. So here's a big dose of encouragement - trust those inner nudges . . . and do those things not because you are assured a certain outcome, just follow each nudge and see what synchronicity awaits and where it takes you next. Chances are you may find yourself with some magic outcomes of your own!  

Maybe It's Time To Try Something Different

For those of you that know me, you know I get messages through song lyrics and lately the majority of the lyrics have had a similar theme . . . and that theme is LOVE!  It has inspired me to keep bringing myself back to my heart . . . when I have to figure out what action to take, when I am trying to determine how to respond to something or when I just need a bit of a lift. I've noticed how quickly it can shift me from feeling confined to feeling much more expanded.

So here is something to consider . . . instead of judging and blaming others or being frustrated by what they are doing / not doing or slogging through the whole day feeling depleted . . . how about seeing what it feels like to operate from a place of love. I believe that what we focus on expands, so just maybe, if we all focus on what we love, we'll draw in more things to love!  And if we approach things from a place of love, maybe it will be easier to see things from that perspective. It couldn't hurt to try, right?  

Several times lately, I have woken up hearing a part of a Bellamy Brothers Song . . . Here's the part of "Let Your Love Flow" that I keep hearing . . . 

Jut let your love flow like a mountain stream
And let your love grow with the smallest of dreams
And let your love show
And you'll know what I mean, it's the season
Let you love fly like a bird on a wing

And let your love bind you to all living things

And let your love shine

And you'll know what I mean, that's the reason

And in case you need some inspiration to get started, I've includied a picture of one of our recent sunsets here in California. (This picture was taken by my neighbor Michael Van Riper). For me, there's no way to NOT feel love when I look at pictures like this.  :-)  

The Grand Illusion

Tonight I was listening to one of the new "Classic Rock Favorites" CDs I made for myself. If you know
me, you know that I probably have a couple hundred "Most Favorite Songs Ever" - LOL. Music has always been a very special part of my life - it has always moved me and touched my soul in ways that is hard to describe sometimes. 

Quite often I find myself listening to a song I have heard a thousand times before but suddenly the lyrics take on a new meaning to me (or I finally understand what the lyrics actually are)  :-) Tonight, I had one of those moments. The Grand Illusion by Styx began playing. At first, I smiled to myself as I recalled that Styx was the very first concert I ever got to attend. I was a freshman in high school and I somehow convinced my parents to let me go to the concert with my sister and her friends. Truth be told, I probably had to put forth a lot of effort to convince my sister too, but it was a night I will never forget.) 

As I let myself get immersed in the song, the lyrics began jumping out at me in a new way . . . I feel compelled to share them here . . . as the lyrics hold a very deep meaning that depicts much of what we are in the midst of right now. 

If you feel inspired, listen to the song, breathe it in and enjoy where the song takes you!! 

"The Grand Illusion" by Styx

Welcome to the Grand illusion
Come on in and see what's happening
Pay the price, get your tickets for the show
The stage is set, the band starts playing
Suddenly your heart is pounding
Wishing secretly you were a star.

But don't be fooled by the radio
The TV or the magazines
They show you photographs of how your life should be
But they're just someone else's fantasy
So if you think your life is complete confusion
Because you never win the game
Just remember that it's a Grand illusion
And deep inside we're all the same.
We're all the same...

So if you think your life is complete confusion
Because your neighbors got it made
Just remember that it's a Grand illusion
And deep inside we're all the same.
We're all the same...

America spells competition, join us in our blind ambition
Get yourself a brand new motor car
Someday soon we'll stop to ponder what on Earth's this spell we're under
We made the grade and still we wonder who the hell we are.

Let's Stay In Our Own Lane

In the last few years, it's been troubling to me how comfortable everyone seems to have become with telling other people how to run their lives. We hear everyone else's opinion whether we've asked or not - and it often comes with an expectation that we are going to do what we are told to do by others. 

Recently, I posted a request for Kino on our neighborhood email list for tennis balls and a 5 gallon paint bucket. The two seemingly unrelated items are the key to keeping Kino exercising, given that he is only interested in chasing tennis balls if I am trying to do something else in the yard. haha Consequently, I drag the bucket around the yard with me as I plant flowers or pull weeds. After a few decades, the paint bucket that he inherited from Lucky cracked so it was time for a replacement. 

Given that I prefer to reuse/recycle things, I put the request out to see if anyone had some of what we needed. Much to my delight, we quickly got offers for both . . . in fact, Kino now has so many tennis balls, we've got an extra stash in the garage for when the current batch gets broken and we lucked out getting two buckets instead of one because the person who donated the bucket couldn't get the two unstuck.  :-)  

While most of the responses were very positive - with either offers to share what they had with Kino or compliments on his good looks - we also received unsolicited advice. I was told how dangerous it is to allow dogs to play with tennis balls and received videos showing the dangers of what happens when a tennis ball gets lodged in a dog's throat. I received a strong recommendation on where I could go to buy a paint bucket and how dangerous it was to use a bucket with dried paint in it. I'm not knocking them, I know their hearts are in a good place, but all this "advice" came without knowing any of the facts (i.e. what I do for a living, how many years I have had dogs, how responsible or irresponsible I am as a guardian or if the paint buckets even had dried paint on the inside . . . that was an assumption on their part since they never even saw the buckets)

It troubles me that we've gotten so comfortable with overreaching when it comes to telling people what we think they should do. Especially when people have no idea what the full circumstances are. Just as we, as a society, seem to have decided it's ok to tell others how to manage their health. I see people crossing the line every single day - thinking THEY have the answer to what someone else should do - that the approach they are taking is the RIGHT one and everyone else is not only wrong but they are "selfish" and "uncaring" if they don't make the same choice. 

So this blog is basically a plea . . . asking people to respectfully stay in their own lane. If I want to throw tennis balls for my dog while I am doing yard work, that is my business. If I want to use a recycled item rather than buying that item new from a store, that is my business as well. 

It is also my business how I manage my own health. I will continue to do whatever is best for me, based on the knowledge I have of my body, how I look after my health and based on my history. If I want to get seven booster shots or zero shots, that's up to me to decide because it is my body, it is my health. I would never consider telling someone what they should do . . . I look forward to the day that that respect goes both ways.  

Maybe before we fling our advice around, we can pause and ask ourselves "Did this person ASK for my advice? or am I throwing my advice at them without their request for input? Before we decide we know what is best for others, maybe we can pause and ask ourselves "Do I know everything there is to know about this person's circumstances? their history? or am I making a bunch of assumptions? Before we begin name calling and belittling and harshly criticizing others for the choices they make, maybe we can ask ourselves "Is it my job to decide what others should do?" and "Is it really OK to judge people so harshly and bully them just because they are making a choice that is different from mine?"

I personally believe that our job is to manage ourselves and our own lives . . . unless we are expressly asked for our opinion, I think that it is best if we stay in our own lane and worry about ourselves. I know that if someone WANTS my opinion they will ask for it. I also know that the only person I can control is myself. 

I respect the fact that we are each on our own journey here - I honor the path that each person is on and the choices they make for themselves. So once again, I ask "Can we please all stay in our own lane?"

P.S.  I am not pretending that I've never done this . . . as any of my ex-boyfriends can attest to, I was the queen of over-stepping and telling them what I thought they should do.  :-)  Learning that about myself and being able to apologize to almost all of them for the myriad of times I over-stepped was a part of my journey. It's definitely a learning process and I am grateful that I was able to find my way to a place where I can respect and honor what others are doing / not doing.