Thoughts and Dog Walks - Sunday 23rd May 2021

So, our business meeting this morning was a little chilly for the latter part of May, but the sun was out and it still smelled like early summer and the hedgerows were coming out in full bloom. 

Diggers has been at Grandma and Grandad’s for a few days as we had to go down to Bath for a funeral. As we walked I let Diggers get acclimatized back to his familiar places, nose down tail in the air. He was away with the familiar scents of rabbits, squirrels and of course, ever hopeful of that discarded cheese sandwich in the ditch! 

We walked and I reflected on the last couple of weeks. They had been strange…. The bathroom renovations had been rather stressful because of unforeseen problems and large companies hiding behind the ‘Covid Times’ as an excuse not to deliver service to customers. Delays and costs increased, but it was done now (apart from an Electrician that has gone AWOL) and it was worth the issues, the costs and the three weeks without a bath as we are very pleased with it.

The anniversary of my special guardian angel and the little signs I always get around this time which affirm to me that she is still close by and aware of how my life has panned out - always my guiding light.

It had also been the first week back to doing some face-to-face classes. I am only doing two…. Not nearly 30 like pre-pandemic times. I found I didn’t like it, I felt the most vulnerable I had felt for a long time. I found the environment that I am so used to, strangely alien and I realised that my decision to keep my business online was the right one for me. I still believe that the way we help people with fitness will change and the gym and leisure centre culture will not be as strong as before. 

Then, I reflected on the last couple of days. My wife and I had travelled to Bath for her Grandmother’s funeral. It was the furthest we had travelled for over a year and the most amount of people we had been with for that time too. The service itself was obviously carried out to Covid regulations. Instead of singing hymns we listened to a recording  from the crematorium’s library of hymns no doubt (something that must have been purchased during these ‘strange times’) because we were unable to sing the hymns, I found they lost their meaning and we were just left with a kind of choral ‘muzac’ that just filled a space in the schedule. The service was shorter because of guidelines and restrictions and it all felt rather strange and unfitting. For a lady that had such a long life (93 years), it felt like a brief and perfunctory acknowledgement. I pondered on this and couldn’t help thinking that it would have been more meaningful if we had just had 15 minutes of contemplation in the room remembering her in our own private way rather than through this forced, pre-recorded ‘normality’ - that isn’t normal at all. I feel we need to get real and understand that ‘normal’ has changed - when we get over that we can start to look at ways of creating a new way forward. After the funeral we were with people…… again,something that we have avoided for well over a year. This was surreal in itself as, apart from my wife obviously and my sister in-law, these were not the people I would have thought or imagined in the depths of lockdown to be the first people I longed to mix with when allowed! But, at the end of the day, it was for my wife’s ‘Nanny’ and even though it was a strange send off, it was a time to remember her and to say goodbye. 

So, it still made me think about this yearning for ‘normality’ that I hear, see and read all about at the moment. The pre-recorded hymns at the funeral (because we can t sing them so we’d better have them anyway but listen to them instead - wouldn’t silence and reflection be an alternative? ), the people on the news are rushing off on holiday to foriegn countries because they want to get some sun and they didn’t go last year…… I think to myself that if anything this period of enforced restrictions may have given us all time to reflect and think about what ‘normal’ was doing to us, we went along with the momentum of it all because ‘that was the norm’.... We’ve had time to assess that and I’ve certainly made changes to what my normal looked like. You can’t always see it when blindly going through it day-after-day. Maybe we shouldn’t be looking at rushing back to ‘a bit of normality’, but embracing a new way of doing things…. 

I thought back to a quote that I have always remembered from my University days, a quote by the founder of the Herman Miller Furniture empire, Max De Pree……

“ We cannot become what we want by remaining what we are”. 

I turned the corner and found Diggers in the ditch, I think he had found his prize…… the meeting was over.  

Thoughts and Dog Walks - Sunday 9th May 2021

So, our business meeting this morning was a bit different to how it has been the last few days! The sun was shining and the wind was warm even at 8.30am. The hedgerows seemed to have bloomed overnight and the verges were full of Borage, dead Nettle, Red Campion and Stitchwort. Diggers was eyeing up the long blades of grass. We were also very pleased to see the Highland Cattle back in their field. It had been several weeks that they had been absent and I was beginning to worry that they may have become field to fork! 

As we walked Diggers sniffed, ‘Well, this is much better’. 

‘Better than what?’ I asked 

‘Better weather than that stormy, rainy and cold weather we’ve had this week’. He paused to snap at a Bee which had settled on a clump of Borage (one day Diggers will learn the hard way, snapping at Bees). 

‘Yes’, I said, as I went to say hello to the three horses in the next field along. 

‘It’s a bit like the week you’ve had’, Diggers went on ‘That’s been a bit turbulent, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong’. (Thanks for reminding me Diggers). It was true, it has been a challenging week from all angles ( I won’t bore you with the details) but it has certainly been a week I would rather forget about than dwell on from both a business and personal perspective. Diggers, like a dog with a bone, did not let the subject drop…. ‘I mean, you’ve certainly had the odds stacked against you and as the week has gone on it seems to have got worse rather than better . How come you don’t just explode, or retreat somewhere and have a breakdown! I know I would! (But remember, Jack Russells are notoriously highly strung..) 

We had stopped by the sheep field and it looked like storm clouds were gathering. It was like Diggers had read my mind as he quickly looked up to me and said, ‘Looks like your bad luck is about to continue again as I noticed you’ve come out without a coat or umbrella’. He shook his head as he riffled through the ditch (probably looking for that old cheese sandwich again). 

‘Well, It’s like this Diggers’, I said looking out across the field to the sheep. ‘Take those sheep for instance. They are content to know that they have grass available to eat and that is their main concern at the moment. If the grass supply runs out they don’t worry about it, they simply move on to another area of the field where the grass is plentiful again. They are also not worried about the colour of the sky, concerning themselves with what will happen if there is a downpour. They carry on with the job-in-hand. If the rain should fall they have thick fleeces with an oily outer coating and the rain will just run off. You see a sheep is pretty stoic, pretty solid, it just doesn’t overthink things. It doesn’t consider things or over analyse situations it just ploughs on. Should something happen,it makes a bit of an adjustment and then just carries on as it always has. We could all do with being a bit more like the sheep Diggers. However we try not to, we are always going to have bad days, weeks… even longer. Times when things just don’t go right and as we deal with one issue another one comes along to add to the burden and before we know it we are fire fighting from one bad thing to another. It snowballs and we feel stressed and that then makes us feel negative, which then brings us down even further. I’m sure the sheep have the odd bad day, but rather than fight it, become outraged at the injustice of it or disappointed by being let down, or frustrated by the lack of ownership, I imagine they just move on’. 

I mentioned to Diggers a quote by the famous Swiss Psychologist, Carl Jung…..

‘What you resist persists’ - Carl Jung

‘Sometimes Diggers you just have to let it all go and move on’. I looked down, but Diggers had moved on right to the far end of the lane. I thought I spied the corner of a cheese sandwich hanging out of his mouth! The meeting was over.   

Maybe the sheep have got it right after all ………..

Thoughts and Dog Walks - Sunday 2nd May 2021

So, our business meeting this morning was bright, but still very chilly considering it is now May. However the blossom is out and the grass seems greener and it feels like summer is edging around the corner. 

Diggers was in a spritely mood hareing round the field at breakneck speed and rolling round in whatever scent he could find ! I decided to leave him to it this morning. He was so full of Jack Russell energy that he would be absolutely no good for boardroom discussions. 

So I was alone with my thoughts as we walked this morning. It has been a strange end to the week. On Friday, my wife lost her grandmother, ‘Nanny’ . It was not totally unexpected as she had reached the grand and very admirable age of 93, but still, it is a sad shock when it happens. She was a great character, very slight (and frail in latter years) in frame but steely strong in heart and mind. I will remember her as laughing a lot and being quite ‘game’ to try things. I remember her hilarious and indecipherable attempts at Pictionary!  She loved her garden, something that my wife has inherited. In fact my wife said that on Friday morning, just before she heard the news of her Nanny’s passing,  as she was tending her plants and uncovering her Sweet Peas, a single white feather fluttered down in front of her. A sign from above? …. a message from ‘Nanny’ that the garden was looking good and to keep up the good work and that most importantly, all will be well. 

As I walked along I looked across the field at the blossom out in the trees and hedgerows, all the new life and the countryside coming back to colour. As I said, even the grass seems greener. I always think that at this time of year it’s like an artist has got out his watercolours and recoloured everything. Bringing positive energy for the summer months. We probably seldom take time to look at it , just carry on on our next job to do, maybe checking the smartphone, thinking about what we haven’t done or worrying about what to have for tea. Mindfulness is ‘trendy’ these days and bandied about a lot. It’s loved by marketing departments as everyone wants it but doesn’t have time for it , so they look to purchase it and then they can say that they have it. … you can get an app for that you know….. I rest my case. It’s not about an app and it’s not a thing you can acquire for a monthly subscription. Also, it’s not something we can just switch on. 

I looked across at Diggers burying his nose in the green dewy grass. If he were to look round I would say… ‘Well, it’s like this Diggers stop listening to what you ‘should’ and ‘shouldn’t’ do and what you should or shouldn't buy or sign up to to get the quiet mind and space you crave from our busy world.  Just look around you once in a while, notice the little signs, laugh at the memories, cry at the losses, blot out the news and gloom once in a while and listen to the birds outside. Finding the path to a quiet mind is something you have to find, not purchase, and it’s there if you stop for a moment and look. So, find a pathway that works for you. Don’t follow the crowd and don’t worry if others agree with it or not. Life is actually very short in the grand scheme of things, so do what you like. If it’s safe, legal and healthy for you then rip up the rule book and go for it! 

There is a quote by the Philosopher Rumi that says..

“The inspiration you seek is already within you. Be silent and listen”.

I looked across at Diggers  - he was still tearing round. The meeting was over! 

Thoughts and Dog Walks - Sunday 25th April 2021

So, our business meeting this morning was sunny and spring like, but there was still that chill in the air that you would hope by next week and the beginning of May would signal the end of this chilly undertone and the heating can be completely switched off. 

As we walked this morning I was relaying to Diggers how I was seeing an awful lot more cases recently of low self esteem and negative self image. 

‘Well, that is something I certainly don’t tend to suffer from!’ said Diggers, having just savagely barked a warning to a passing Spaniel that had shown absolutely no sign of hostility to him. 

‘No’, I said rolling my eyes, ‘Jack Russells are certainly good at portraying self image and confidence even if they don’t always feel it’. Diggers will take on dogs three or four times his size (but usually when he is on the lead and I am by his side! He says that he does it to protect me …………)

Diggers carried on, after having paused to do that funny scrappy ‘victory dance’ dogs tend to do in the grass after they have successfully seen off a potential threat. ‘It’s all a question of what you put out there, I may look a little short legged dog, but I’ve got a bark that would send a chill down even the most hardy of Posties’ spines! I stand my ground even when I’m faced with something as intimidating as a hostile Rottweiler ..(this is true) Why should I be or feel any less of a dog than the big ones just because I am closer to their feet than their head?  Yeah, I don’t understand you humans, you are always beating yourselves up or comparing yourself against others and feeling inferior to them. The thing is, the person you compare yourself to is probably feeling the same way but doesn’t show it.’ He stopped to sniff a big clump of Borage before turning to me and saying, ‘Why do you all act like that? ‘  

We stopped by the gate where the Highland cattle used to be and looked out across the fields. ‘Well, it’s like this Diggers. Low self esteem is something that many people suffer from it manifests in many different ways, the way people feel they look, speak, portray themselves, interact with people, the clothes they wear, who they would like to be but fear to be and who they feel they should be but don’t want to be… lots of different things can influence self esteem. However, it usually starts from one thing …. A negative thought or feeling about yourself. When you feel negative it’s like pulling the bottom piece out of a game of Jenga as all these other negative thoughts and feelings come crashing down around you. You then become an advertising hoarding for more negativity and become more and more bogged down with it. Then others pick up on this and see you as someone with no confidence and start to treat you in that way. That then makes the negative feelings stronger, making you feel worse about yourself and the vicious circle continues, seemingly never to break’.

‘That’s not good’ , said Diggers exploring a rabbit hole, ‘How does someone recognise the signs?’

‘Well, you can ask yourself a few questions like, What is your body language like? Do you look people in the eye or avoid eye contact? How do you stand? Proud or apologetically?  How do you sound? Clear with your voice going up at the end of a sentence? Or flat and unclear? What words do you use? Maybe they are words and phrases like… “I can’t…”, “I'll never be able to..” , “I’m too nervous to”...”There’s no point in….”This constant negative stance about yourself can then lead to physical problems too like headaches, digestive issues etc that make you feel worse. 

‘How do you break the cycle then?’ asked Diggers, I sensed his interest waning as he eyed a fat waddling wood pigeon on the ground further down the lane.

‘Well, as negativity attracts negativity then likewise positivity attracts positivity. If you feel positive about yourself then you are much more likely to feel more relaxed both in your mind and in your body. It then makes you feel more confident in your ability at something. It doesn’t mean you are automatically going to succeed at everything, but you are more likely to feel more confident about your approach. Clear in your mind that you did your best, you will have no reason to beat yourself up and another ‘opportunity’ is likely to come along quicker. You will still feel disappointed, but your self esteem will be less damaged. Likewise, if you feel positive you will radiate this outwardly and others will see you more as a confident person as your posture and body language will change without you realising as you believe in yourself more and more. As you work on those positive thoughts, you will also find your communication becomes stronger, your voice clearer with more intonation. Think about that old vocabulary that you used to use and change the angle to a more positive one. Use phrases like “ I can”, “I am good at..” “I’m going to have a go at that” “I’m as good as the next person, I’ll give it my best shot..” Practicing these changes (in your own time) will help to break that vicious circle of low self esteem. 

I read a great book years ago called ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway!’ (Susan Jeffers) it’s worth a read if you want to feel empowered to change. Or, just make small steps. Make a list of times in the past when you have felt negative or maybe acted in a negative way. Revisit some of those occasions on the list and think how different the outcome might have felt for you if you had applied some of the positivity tools we’ve talked about this morning. Use that as a boost to spur you on! 

I relayed a quote I had read recently by Mel Robbins, an American Lawyer and motivational speaker…

“There will always be someone who can’t see your worth. Don’t let it be you.” - Mel Robbins

I turned round but Diggers was gone. The pigeon was too much of a draw, he was off down the lane barking madly. The meeting was over .     

The London train passing through

Healthier than a gravy bone……

Thoughts and Dog Walks - Sunday 18th April 2021

So, our business meeting this morning was bright and very spring-like. Even the ground was dry underfoot for a change and it was the first time in months that I’d left the green wellies behind! 

Diggers was trying out his new harness (fluorescent orange - he is such a trend setter! ) and it was even a little loose, so cutting down on those gravy bones a little is clearly beginning to show dividends. 

Diggers was in a particularly ‘barking’ frame of mind this morning and not into engaging with me and the matters arising.  Barking at every dog that went by, but more notably barking at distant barks of dogs far away. I’ve long wondered about this, having been a big fan of the book 101 Dalmations when I was a child, I’ve always liked to believe the ‘twilight barking’ network really exists. I watch him, the distant bark of dogs and he stops dead in his tracks, front paw paused and head cocked on one side with one ear up. He sniffs the air as if decoding or considering the message and then barks his reply. Good old fashioned communication. I left him to catch up.  

As we walk on it gets me thinking more about how we communicate now. Not through phone calls and ‘over-the-garden-wall’ chats, but through the world of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat……. I could go on. ...It’s instant and wide ranging and suddenly we become ‘experts’ in any number of debates and subjects. Everybody has an opinion (which is everyone’s right) but then the ‘#hate’ sets in if other people share a different opinion…..

As a Counsellor I often see the negative side of social media and what it can do to people. I understand how rumours or untruths can spread and influence people quickly without being in receipt of the facts ( ‘It must be true, I read it on social media’’) Judge and jury in an instant.

I see depression and anxiety that develops from social media inferiority - the perfect lives portrayed that people worry about not having. The perfect image, the perfect family life, the implied material things that people start to benchmark against and compare themselves to. 

Don’t get me wrong. Social media has lots of good points. It is instant, we have a connection at the press of a button and it can help people in many ways. But, that main benefit is also the main drawback….. It’s instant. We post in a knee jerk reaction, taking very little time to consider actions or implications. 

If Diggers had been present with me in this morning’s meeting I would have said….

Well, It’s like this Diggers, take social media for what it is, just another line of communication. Don’t believe everything you see or hear on it to the extent that it makes you feel inadequate or unworthy. Don’t become fixated on it. Do you really need an account on every platform? Not only can that create extra anxiety for social media inferiority, but it can also add to added anxiety of keeping up with it all and posting etc which takes you away from the here and now. Use it as a tool. Spend some time ‘decluttering your feed’  - only hear from the people you want to hear from, only see the posts you want to see. Remember, you are always in control.   

There is a  quote not intended for my topic today but, in my opinion is a good approach to social media……

‘Happiness is not a matter of intensity, but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony’. - Thomas Merton

Thoughts and Dog Walks - Sunday 11th April 2021

So, our business meeting this morning was crisp after an overnight frost, but bright and sunny with the birds singing their hearts out.

Diggers was like one of those pigs they use in Italy to hunt out truffles, nose down focussed and rooting through everything! Only Diggers was probably looking more for a discarded sandwich thrown from a car window than a truffle!

‘It’s been another difficult week for our Queen again this week’, Diggers announced whilst catching a glimpse of himself in the huge puddle of field water run-off. I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or his reflection. 

‘Yes’, I said ‘It certainly has been a very sad few days for the Queen and her family’.

Diggers ran up the bank in the green lane to a point I ironically call the ‘King of the castle’ spot  - where you can look out across the fields and beyond. A great place for quiet contemplation. He stood there, sniffing the air. ‘I just don’t know how she does it! She’ll be 95 this month, she’s had a nation in crisis, a family in crisis and now a personal crisis! 

‘Well, it’s like this Diggers’, I said looking out across the field with him. ‘Grief is something that is different for everyone. It can manifest in many different ways and continue through many different stages, taking an indefinable length of time for us to go through. It is a process of internal thoughts and experiences that will resurface and can be upsetting or can be endearing and humorous. Often, over time, the latter are the ones that tend to resurface more as we reach an acceptance and remembrance. 

Strength though is something we all have inside us, even if we think we don’t, we just have to look for it sometimes and draw on it when we need it. To show strength is not to be cold or unfeeling or indeed does it replace pain and sadness that we feel in loss. It doesn’t negate the need for support or love from others. It is a coping mechanism that we can draw on to help drive us through. Strength can simply just give someone the ability to face the day-to-day routine whilst grappling to deal with grief in their own way.’

I recalled to Diggers a quote by one of my favourite writers and one that I have quoted from before. A man who had more than his fair share of grief - C.S Lewis

It’s not the load that weighs you down, It’s the way you carry it’. C S Lewis 

I looked round but Diggers was chomping at something in the ditch….. He had found his ‘truffle’. The meeting was over!

Thoughts and Dog Walks - Sunday 4th April 2021

So, our business meeting this morning was a bit drizzly and cool, but still this morning. It was a little quicker than normal too as we were going to see my parents for a little while, in the socially distanced outdoor setting that we are now allowed to do. We had enough blankets packed to sink a battleship. Covid was one thing but you can still get a nasty chill or worse from sitting outside in winter temperatures! 

Diggers had his coat on. He had been to the groomers last week to have his lockdown hair removed but, with a change in the weather, he has been constantly shivering ever since! So the winter coat is back and this seems to be doing the trick. At least when the warmer weather does come back he will be able to discard that coat much more easily. 

As we hastened along this morning Diggers had his nose to the ground like Inspector Clouseau looking for clues. ‘So, It’s Easter Sunday then?’ he said, stopping to sniff a large clump of daffodils that somebody must have thrown into the hedgerow at some point and they had taken seed. 

‘Yes’, I said ‘It’s a time when people get together and share chocolate (those that can eat it! ) and think about the high point of the whole Easter story. 

‘Oh yes’, Diggers had moved on to a molehill ‘Why does everyone give eggs to each other? Why not gravy bones? 

‘The eggs are symbolic’ I said, Eggs have been used in festivals since time began to symbolise new life and the spring. In the case of the Christian Easter celebration, eggs are given as a symbol of the new life from the resurrection’. 

Diggers was looking up at a squirrel that had just darted in front of him and was half way up a tree, he growled, but the squirrel looked down as if to say ‘face,,, bothered?’ before climbing higher and going on its way. ‘So, what you are saying is, to be able to celebrate Easter you have to be a Christian, go to church (or Zoom church) and like chocolate?’ 

‘Well, it’s like this Diggers,’ I said looking up and watching that sprightly squirrel with him, ‘Easter is a Christian festival and Easter day celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and the new beginnings. However, we can all celebrate the festival whatever beliefs we hold. Whether it be the beginning of Spring and all the hope and new life that it brings, or it might be the time we can spend with family and appreciate what that means to us. Or maybe it’s just because it's the chance to eat chocolate together! It doesn’t have to be exclusive, it can be totally inclusive to all. We are so rich in diversity these days that we should be able to enjoy and respect each other's customs and festivals without claiming superiority or exclusion. We can simply take the elements that resonate with us and celebrate those, therefore keeping festivals and traditions going in a harmonious and positive way for all and keeping them alive for longer. 

I reminded Diggers of a quote that sums up the whole spirit of Easter to me, whatever your beliefs or background. It was said by one of the most iconic actors of all time, 

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow”.  - Audrey Hepburn

I looked back down, the squirrel was long gone and so was Diggers! The sun had come out and he was haring across the field. The meeting was over

Thoughts and Dog Walks - Sunday 21st March 2021

The weight of the world on his paws…….

So, to mark ONE WHOLE YEAR of my #thoughtsanddogwalks with Diggers on my Facebook page, this will be it’s new weekly home on my website blog - still every Sunday, just easier to read them and catch up on them if you miss them!  - Here is Thoughts and Dogwalks from Sunday 21st March 2021:

So, our business meeting this morning was the first one of Spring. The blossom was already starting to come out and the air felt different. The birds were singing loudly and it was all very uplifting. It certainly was enough to put a spring in your step!.......... Except for Diggers, he was definitely not feeling the change of the seasons. A spring in his step was definitely what he needed as it was beginning to feel like dragging 9-10Kg of granite round with me! (Diggers will be horrified that I have disclosed his weight !)

‘What’s up with you Diggers?’ I asked as I gently prised him along, ‘It’s like you’ve got leaden legs this morning! Breathe in that Spring air! Even the Highland cattle look happier this morning and they always look austere’.

He sighed, (a dramatic Jack Russell type sigh..) ‘I can’t move very fast this morning’ he said in a laboured tone, ‘I’m walking with the weight of the world on my paws’. 

‘Why is that Digger’s?’ I asked as I stopped to look at him and listen to his reply.

‘Well, you talk about spring being in the air and everything starting to feel uplifting and yet….’

‘And yet what Diggers? What is weighing you down?

‘Hate’, he said (That’s a big word I thought) 

‘It seems like the whole world is full of hate and anger right now. People are angry about the past, the present AND arguing about the future. Everybody casting blame and spreading anger and nobody offering positive steps forward. I wish it would STOP!  I just keep absorbing it all like a sponge that's getting more and more saturated and heavier and heavier to carry around. It’s just getting too much!’ 

He sat down and sniffed the air… even the rabbits weren’t going to ignite that spark this morning, 

I sat down on the bank next to him and put my arm around him. ‘Have you been looking at my social media news feeds again?’ I asked

Diggers turned his head away and looked out across the field…. ‘I might have been’ he said a little defensively. 

‘Well, It’s like this Diggers’, I said, looking out across the fields with him, ‘It’s all too easy to get drawn into the hate and the debate, because with Social Media it is just a click away and pretty much anonymous. With it being so instant and so easy to click ‘reply’ people don’t always take time to consider and weigh up everything. It can be ‘knee jerk’ and not considered. People then become even more defensive and that then boils over into becoming offensive which often doesn’t help an already inflamed situation. Then you get the big brands wading in fuelling the debate further and influencing their customer base who feel loyal to them (but in reality it is just another great marketing opportunity for them) so the pressure keeps mounting. The saddest part  though is that often the original, valid message, statement or grievance that started out becomes amplified in the wrong way and creates more anger, inflaming the situation more or desensitising people to the cause and they switch off to it. Another sad fact is that this angry ‘noise’ can lead to stress and anxiety disorders in people who absorb it all ,which can have any number of ‘knock-on’ effects on their mental and physical health. 

The other day I actually ‘unfollowed’ a big Yoga organisation I have ‘followed’ for years on social media. They had posted an ‘Anti-Hate’ message in big bold colours with no supporting narrative which generated a massive amount of response (no doubt it’s aim). Flicking through the responses, I have never seen so much anger, hate and blame from people emanating off one page. An ‘anti-hate’ post had done nothing but fuel what it allegedly had set out to defeat.  I was shocked and saddened that even something as passive as my beloved Yoga could stir up so much hate and blame. To me they are two words that a Yogi would not contemplate. 

I reminded Diggers of a quote by the mighty Buddah….

“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. 

Do not let pain make you hate.

Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness.”

I looked up but Diggers was down the track barking up at a tree and bouncing up and down on his back legs like Tigger! He had spotted a squirrel and that had definitely put the spring back in his step! The meeting was over! 

Little signs of spring peeking through

Until next week…….