Who Cooks For You?

I haven't written in my blog in a while, but that doesn't mean you haven't been on my mind. Our current state of affairs has had me at a loss for words. On a personal level, I've been using my triggers to reveal wounds, to apply healing, and to extend love. Just practicing what I preach you might say. Today I have a little bit of my 2 cents to share, a heartwarming Mother's Day Story, and some signs, woven throughout, for those who enjoy them.

I have been writing. I was working on a book about eagles, herons, loons, and developing your "eagle eye" for my grandchildren. My desire had been to do more with my photos when my oldest granddaughter asked if I was going to do another "Where's Waldo" type of book with my wildlife pictures. Her request unfolded into a magazine also including a sprinkling of fun facts and some of my favorite photos of eagles, herons and loons. I had it professionally printed. My granddaughters gobbled it up at Easter. 

Now here I am, at my computer, thinking about how to honor mothers for Mother's Day. It's 11:10 pm and guess what distracts me? An owl. 

When I heard the owl, I immediately thought of my Owl Story. It was a heartwarming experience for me. Mother's Day deserves a heartwarming story, don't you think? And grandmothers are mothers too. I even went outside to see if I could record my owl friend to share along with the story. He/she offered me a hoot.

Over April vacation, this same granddaughter who asked if I was going to make another book, came for a sleepover. I tell my grandchildren, starting around the time they turn 9-years-old, that for their birthdays, I can either buy them a gift or they can have a sleepover at Grammie's. I love spending one-on-one time with them when they want it too. Personally, I think making memories is a great gift. I know that Doug is around, in spirit, and loves his grandchildren, so while down by the water I asked him, with my mind and with my heart, "How are you going to make your presence known?" And then I let it go, like fairy dust.

The sun was warm, and the water was like glass. My granddaughter even commented on the peacefulness. She also got to see her first loon of the season, and I helped her take a few photos with my camera. In a reflective moment, she expressed how she misses her Grampy, but that I must miss him the most because I spent the most time with him. So thoughtful for a 9-year-old, and true. We also discussed how we get to learn to communicate with him in new ways.

Shortly after, we took my dogs for a walk. There must have been an eagle perched in one of the pine trees on the side of the road because it swooped down and whizzed by us—at eye level—as it headed toward the lake. My granddaughter exclaimed, "That was an eagle. I could tell by its white tail because of your book." That made me feel so good! She also expressed that she thought the eagle was Grampy's doing. So did I. I shared that I had asked him how he was going to make his presence known. This encounter was definitely not an everyday occurrence. We were both blown away in a delightful kind of way.

Then we went back to the waterfront. While she was playing in the sand, she began talking about Doug's cooking and we reminisced about some of our favorite dishes he used to make. I asked, "Do you know what the secret ingredient was?" She did not. "Love," I shared with affection.

A little later, we went for another short walk with the dogs. It was around 5pm. There was still plenty of daylight left when we heard an owl. Hearing an owl during the day is definitely not the norm for me, and it was the first time my granddaughter had ever heard an owl in the wild. I told her it was a Barred Owl and that I could tell because a Barred Owl sounds like it's saying, "Who cooks for you, who cooks for you?"

On our way back, my granddaughter also spotted a heart-shaped rock. We always look at those as signs from Doug. How cute are her Crocs.

I go out of my way to buy my grandchildren their favorite foods when they have their personal time with me. She had requested wagon wheel pasta with butter. We also had raw carrots and cucumbers. While we were eating it occurred to me that we had been talking about Doug's cooking prior to hearing the owl say, "Who cooks for you?" Are you connecting the dots? And maybe you already did when we were back on the walk? We talked about how the owl could have been Doug's way of acknowledging being in on our conversation. Made sense to us.

One of my FB friends once posted the questions:

• What is your faith?
• And what is your job?

What immediately came to me is this:

• My faith is that Love always prevails.
• And my job is to align with it.

What comes to mind for you?

Something I believe that is helping me through these challenging times in our world is my belief that Love can even use people's weaknesses in support of our deepest hearts desires. When someone is doing something you believe to be hurtful, that's a weakness. You can never go wrong by wishing them well. You don't even have to do it in person or know the person to do it. You can wish them well with your mind and with your heart, and then let it go, like fairy dust. When doing something hurtful that person is not well in their thinking because if they were in their right mind they wouldn't be doing something hurtful. And who hasn't done something hurtful when acting from a wound? Welcome to the human experience. That's why you can never go wrong by wishing someone well. It is akin to saying, "I see you." I see your wound. Your ego won't always like it, but when it is genuine, it will leave you feeling peace in your heart—a peace that criticizing, although tempting, will never get you. 

I know that all you mothers and grandmothers out there care deeply for the wellbeing of our next generation, as do I. I see you. My deepest heart's desire for you, on this Mother's Day, is to wish you well and for you to experience peace in your heart. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms and grandmothers in Heaven, as well. If they can help us to use these challenging times to calm the waters of our hearts from the other side, that would be most welcome.

I hope my Owl Story warmed your heart too, and that maybe you even found a sign you have been seeking in my words today.

Happy Mother's Day!

Friends in this Love,

Trish

PS. My book with "Where's Wildlife" photos involving eagles, herons and loons will be available soon so keep your "eagle eye" on the lookout for it!