I live in a place where there are lots of animals. The horses, donkeys and cows are the domestic ones and the geese, ducks, fox, skunks, and coyotes are the wild ones. Most nights I stop by the horses and feed the mom carrots and pet the young colt. I often have to avoid the skunk who doesn’t like to go off course even if it means coming straight at me. I give him all the room he needs or else he will raise a big stink. I noticed the other morning there was a family of you fox and the little ones were hoping around trying to see over the grass. I don’t know what it is but being amongst these creatures feels really good as if they are part of my family.
I want to tell you about a beaver that I had a really special encounter. I use to live along a river and one evening I was out doing my walk on the path the followed the stream. I had often seen beaver but they never seemed happy about it. The usually flap their tails and try to chase me away. I don’t know if you know this but they can be quite ornery. I saw this beaver and I thought, we share this planet together and I was wondering if we couldn’t connect as fellow inhabitants of this river area.
So I walked down to a very small beach like area and stood very still. I began to feel like my heart was extending an invitation to this little brother. I kept on saying very silently, “you are safe, we share this planet together and I send you love. The beaver began to swim closer and closer as if to check me out. I stood still and kept sending the silent messages from my heart. The beaver then came onto the shore and walked up to about 3 feet away, stood up and looked right into my eyes. We checked each other out for awhile. After about 10 minutes I had a thought that it was getting late and I better go. I did not move but as soon as I had the thought, the beaver walked back into the water and swam away.
I felt as if nature had touched me in a special way and that some how we had come together as fellow members of the earth family. I will always remember that encounter as if it happened just yesterday. I wonder about how the beaver and I could connect so easily and it seems so obvious now. The heart is a very powerful connector.
I think if the beaver and I could meet in the common ground of the heart then all humans could do the same. I believe all wars, all conflicts, all relationship challenges are resolvable if the heart is involved.
Isn’t it time we start coming together out of love? Isn’t it time we evolve past the need to kill each other to have our way. If we are willing, we can sit down together and work out our differences. Those that are too closed in the heart need to be excluded from these conversations. They need more love and support to open up. Those with open heart can lead us away from wars and into a world were peace is possible and compassion is the guiding principle. Isn’t it time we lead with our hearts and our understanding rather then our egos and our hunger for control.
I challenge you to find where you need to have more heart in your life and grow into being a more loving human being. The times we live in need your heart, your compassion and your understanding. Are you ready to show up as a heart centered person? If you do, all will be altered and soon the you will find yourself living in the kind of world you long for deep inside.