The question is are we happy to suppose that our grandchildren may never be able to see an elephant except in a picture book?

 

Last week was an amazing week, the highlight being an evening with Sir David Attenborough.  He has some amazing stories to tell, one of the most special being his encounter with Dian Fossey’s wild Gorillas in Rwanda. He was in absolute awe of how these huge, powerful creatures were so gentle when interacting with him.  It reminded me of my own life-changing experience . . .

I was very fortunate to do my high school work experience at SeaWorld. It was a wonderful time, but also not exactly the type of ride you might think.  Yes, there was the glamorous side of the job: observing training sessions with dolphins, conducting health checks and feeding penguins. There was also a large proportion of the day spent doing less than desirable tasks such as scrubbing algae off pond fixtures, “breaking out” the boxes of frozen fish for the next day’s feeds and scrubbing down the stainless steel food preparation areas. Just to be clear, I am in no way complaining, just pointing out that this job which so many people desire is not all fun and cuddling dolphins.

On the very first day, the keepers taught us that dolphins aren’t exactly the sweet, gentle animals they’re made out to be. They can be very cheeky and like to give a little nip here and there with those exceptionally sharp teeth that are designed to hold on to slippery fish and squid. We were warned not to be tempted to touch the dolphins if they approached us while we were working near the pools on our own.

Another day, I was sent to scrub the algae off the side of the stage in the show arena.  This pool was open to the animals to access even if there wasn’t a show taking place. They watched with curiosity while I worked and even tried to “offer” behaviours in case I had a fish handy to throw them as a reward. 

Then along came Mia. Mia was the only false killer whale at Seaworld and she was absolutely beautiful.  I fell in love with her from the very first day. One of Mia’s favourite things was to rest her chin on the side of the stage with her mouth wide open and the keepers would stroke her on her very large tongue. And this is exactly what she wanted me to do.

I stared into her huge mouth and couldn’t help but notice her many, sharp teeth. There was absolutely no way I was going to put my hand in there! I imagined what might happen . . . Mia closing her mouth over my hand, pulling me to the bottom of the pool and holding me there until I drowned. With no keepers around and that very stern “no patting” warning in the forefront of my mind I looked at her and said “no way Mia”. 

But she wouldn’t give up. I noticed there was a gap between her front teeth about the width of two fingers. Against my better judgement, I decided to place my forefinger and middle finger in the gap, as a sort of compromise, hoping not to get caught out by the keepers. What happened next I will remember forever. Mia ever so gently closed her huge mouth around my two fingers in the gap between her teeth and just held them there for what seemed like an eternity. It was as if she had recognised my fear and took what I was able to offer her.

. . . Animals possess much greater insight and intelligence than we give them credit for.  It is for this, and many other reasons, that each species we lose from our planet is an absolute tragedy.  It is also every person’s responsibility to do what we can to conserve them all, even the ugly, small, annoying or little-known ones. So please go about your week remembering who you share the earth with, and do what you can to lighten your impact.

     Thank you!

Photo Elephant © Renee Chamberlin 2013.

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God long ago drew a circle in the sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now.

 

It is a well known fact that I am a worrywart. This is not to say that I am a negative person, quite the contrary I am a very positive person, just with a tendency to worry sometimes. My Doctor (who is so much more than a Doctor) often tells me about the importance of learning to trust. Trust in the universe, trust in other people, trust in myself, trust that everything is exactly as it is supposed to be. It’s a very big, and extremely important life lesson. Especially for a worrywart!

This last week I have been caring for my husband after he had some rather serious eye surgery (a Pterygium removal and graft). It has been the perfect situation to put this trust lesson into practice. Trusting that the surgery would go to plan, trusting that his recovery would be swift and smooth, and trusting that he can handle the enormous pain that is unavoidable when such a sensitive part of the body has been operated on. And test it did.

I found the 4 hour wait while he was in surgery enormously uncomfortable.  I have spent the last week wishing that I had a magic wand to wave his pain away. And I flipped out (just a little bit) when it looked like there might possibly have been an infection starting on the edges of the graft (just for the record, so did he).

So what really did happen this last week? The surgery went beautifully, the specialist is very pleased with his progress, the “infection” turned out to be absolutely nothing to worry about and my brave Hubby has mostly slept off the pain with a bit of help from some drugs, acupuncture and the odd glass of wine.

So what is the moral of the story? Worrying never achieves anything! My very wise Doctor’s words are a universal truth, much the same as this week’s quote.

Everything, really is as it should be.

Wishing you all a positive and worry free week! J

P.S. – if you would like to know more about Pterygiums, and how not to end up with one, some information on prevention can be found here http://bit.ly/118dQ4R

 

Photo Simpson Desert © Renee Chamberlin 2013.

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True wealth is not measured in money or status or power. It is measured in the legacy we leave behind for those we love and those we inspire.

 

Time spent with true friends is like an unlimited treasure chest. It’s always there waiting to be found, opened and enjoyed. And when that moment is over, for the time being, you know the treasure is still there waiting to be opened again another day.

It does not deplete, in fact, the more you draw on it the more it grows. It recharges your batteries, feeds your soul and reminds you that life isn’t only about earning your keep and looking after your home affairs. And knowing you can access it when you need to helps you feel secure and at ease.

This is true wealth. Even the poorest people in the world can be joyful if they are surrounded by people they love. And even if those people are many, many miles away, simply remembering they are there is enough to bring you peace and contentment.

I am privileged to have many true friends, including an extraordinary bunch of people who I’ve known since high school. Though we are all so very different, we each motivate, help and boost each other. Time and distance never diminishes our friendship, and precious moments together are life’s ultimate treasure.

A heartfelt thank you to my special friends for your continuous love and inspiration, you have left a real, lasting impression! Thanks to you all, I am starting my week renewed, deeply happy and feeling very rich indeed.

Wishing you all a wealthy week ahead! J

Photo Colonne de Juillet Paris © Renee Chamberlin 2013.

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There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer

We all have “our lot” in life.  We have our trials and our triumphs, our joys and our sorrows.  Some people seem worse off and others better off, but in reality we all have our fair share of the full suite of experiences and emotions throughout our lives.

There is only one thing that can singlehandedly conquer them all and that is love. 

It has been shown that children raised without love and affection fail to thrive.  Just because we have grown up to become adults doesn’t change that.

Quite a few of my friends have been through difficult times of late, but it was the sad news from one of my closest friends this morning that inspired me to post this message today.  And to that very dear friend I would like to say . . .

Your road may be a little rocky for a while but you are surrounded by many people who love you, and if you need us to, we will carry you through until your path becomes smooth.  We are here if you wish for company and we also understand if you prefer the time and space to be alone with your thoughts and feelings.  Whatever happens, know that you are loved and supported always.

And to everybody reading this message, please give a little love to somebody who needs it today.

Thank you.

At any moment the fully present mind can shatter time and burst into the now.

This morning I got up early with my husband and cooked him bacon and eggs for breakfast (the least I could do given he was working at 6:30am on a Saturday).  I kissed him goodbye at 5:30 and set about cleaning up in the kitchen.  I was in my own little world, totally absorbed in washing the dishes, and oblivious to the world waking up just outside the kitchen window. Then, all of a sudden I looked up and noticed the forest was aglow in shades of pink and peach, and echoing to the sounds of one of my favourite birds (the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo).

My very wise mother in law (an accomplished philosopher) talks a lot about being in the present moment and the concept of “right time”.  This was a perfect demonstration of these truths.  There was no decision to be made.  The only thing to do in this moment was to drop everything NOW! and go outside to enjoy the glorious sunrise.  And what a treat! (see video below or click the link to view on Youtube)

 

http://bit.ly/12OZ1q0

It’s in moments like these that any troubles, fears or concerns melt away and you’re left with pure enjoyment, happiness and love.  What a gift!

The dishes will eventually get done, but right now my dog is telling me it’s time for her breakfast.  If you’re looking for a good role model to learn how to live in the present moment, you can’t get any better than your dog, or any animal for that matter.

Wishing you a remarkable weekend J

Photo Bicheno Blowhole Tasmania © Renee Chamberlin 2013.

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Today make it a point to choose only loving words as you speak.

What’s the first thing that goes through your mind when you wake up in the morning?  What are the most common words and phrases you use throughout the day?  And the last thing you are thinking as you go to sleep in the evening?  How does that affect your life?

Renowned, inspirational author Louise Hay suggests never use the word “should”.  When we say we “should” do this and then don’t get around to it, we make ourselves wrong.  For most people, when they make themselves wrong they spend a lot of time beating themselves up about it.  So, replacing “should” with “could” is a better option.  If you say “I could do that”, and then for some reason you don’t, you aren’t making yourself wrong.

Another word to pay close attention to is “but”.  For example, “I would love to go out and exercise today but I don’t have time” or “I would love to enjoy my weekend but I can’t afford to do anything fun”.  Remove the word “but” from your vocabulary and see what happens J

One phrase I have been guilty of saying for many years is “I can’t wait” . . .  e.g. “I can’t wait for the weekend” or “I can’t wait to go and get a coffee”.  If you take time to think about what you are literally saying, it isn’t true.  Of course you can wait.  What you really mean to say is “I’m looking forward to the weekend” and “I would really like to enjoy a coffee”.

How do you respond when somebody says to you “hello, how are you going?”  Think about it . . .  The standard response is “good thanks and you?”  Every now and then you might get “fantastic!”, “terrific!” or as my very special friend Marj says “damn fine splendid!”  One thing you notice with this type of response is the person’s energy.  They’re not just “ho hum” they’re happy and energetic.  They’re people you just want to be around because they lift your energy and make you feel good.

This week, try being more aware of what you say.  See how it affects your mood and the people you interact with.

Oh, and have an awesome week!

Photo Sulphur-crested Cockatoo © Renee Chamberlin 2013.

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A heartfelt smile gives warmth enough for three winters

The world could do with a lot more kindness right now; and we all could benefit from the kindness of others every day.  Giving and receiving is vitally important, it’s part of the energy flow on this planet.  Like breathing, we do it all the time, often without thinking about it.  It makes us happy and gives us purpose.

This quote is a reminder that you don’t have to spend all your hard-earned money to give to others.  You can give away smile, a compliment, a helping hand, or my favourite, a flower from the garden.  The great thing is that both you and the person you are giving to will benefit.  You have nothing to lose and so much to gain!

If you are reading this, you are likely to be one of the fortunate people who can afford to give in material ways such as donating money or goods to charities, or volunteering some of your time.  Traditionally I only support animal and environmental charities to protect myself from “compassion fatigue”.  However when I first learned about Kiva, it was obviously such a great idea that I joined up and contributed to my first loan straight away. 

Today, a woman in Kenya is able to build a classroom to train her students in thanks to an $875 loan that 22 strangers, including myself, contributed to.  There are many more stories like this on the Kiva website and the beauty of it all is that one loan of $25 can keep giving over and over because once it’s paid back you have the opportunity to loan it to another borrower.

What can you do this week to give a little back and generate some kindness?  Feel free to post your ideas in the comments section below.

Here’s a video which should help get you in the mood for kindness and giving: http://bit.ly/vSuXvk

And if you’re looking for ways to do this for free, please use this link to give a free trial loan on Kiva: http://www.kiva.org/invitedby/renee4853

Photo Alpine Ibex (Innsbruck Zoo) © Renee Chamberlin 2013. 

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