So long, Nudder, and thanks for everything!

Ok, this is the teary-eyed me, so happy that we found our lonely llama a nice home with another llama, so sad to see him leave me.

I couldn't really let him live alone in a very small pasture after his buddy had passed on to that great llama meadow in the sky. He looked pretty sad.

When we dropped him off today, he was so curious about everything. He looked so pleased. Nudder got to chase goats and wander around acres of pasture. He is getting to know the other llama, Charlie Brown.

The people that adopted him are very nice, and I know he'll do well there. So yay for Nudder!

But I am a bit weepy, because I love Nudder and I loved opening the back door and having him poke his head into the house to look around. I think he wanted to be a livingroom llama!

We could have gotten him a new pal, but I am aware that his pasture is just really small and he has been there a long time. Time for a nice change with new friends. It was really, really fun to watch him with the goats!

And the really nice thing is that we met new people and they have invited us to come over sometimes to visit!

Now isn't that nice!

Ok, when you downsize by finding a home for your llama, don't play with the goats very much, because they are affectionate and fun. Hmmmm, goats!

Maybe we'll wait on that. I think the donkeys want attention, and we are having a great time. Have a happy llama life with your new llama buddy, Nudder, and we'll see you!

Hugs to all, Auriel

Apology Accepted!

How do you know if someone has apologized to you satisfactorily?

I like to think about what I heard for donkey training advice. Encourage the donkey to do the desired task, and if you see any movement or willingness to try, reward him immediately and well!

We did that today. The donkey fellas and I practiced walking up to the mounting block. I rewarded them with carrots. They really seemed interested in the game, and they like carrots, so we are coming along really well. Next we are going to ask the fellas to pivot their rear end a step or two so they move closer to the mounting block when they are just a bit too far away. Skill building.

For relationship building, restoration or repair, there are many, many ways of "apologizing."

I think that allowing someone a lot of credit for any gesture that seems to be aimed at repairing your relationship is a good thing. Sometimes, it's a great idea to just use small talk to indicate that things are ok between you again. Sometimes being direct would be awkward or unwanted.

A smile, a warm look may be all that's wanted. Sometimes a verbal apology that brings up bad feelings and hurts is not going to work. Cookies, in that case, may be a better idea. I personally readily accept dark chocolate!

We all know when someone is being nice to us. It feels good.

You also have to watch out that the trouble immediately in front of you isn't really the real problem. There could be some festering sore that has gone on silently for some time. Then an apology for the matter at hand won't really solve much.

In cases like these, it could be better to do something nice and give warmth and time a chance to heal old wounds.

Sometimes I have to be nice when I don't feel like it. I saw a saying: Be kinder than necessary! I really like this saying, because if you use it, you will be kind to the people around you, and the nifty thing is, they (or some of them!) will be kinder to you! You are really, really going to like this.

Sometimes when you are kind to someone, they don't respond for a long, long time. But when that first ray of sunshine breaks through, you'll realize that holding on for a long, long time turns out much better than being cranky.

Did you ever have a cranky relationship get better? Isn't it such a relief? No more tension, just warmth and smiles, those silly resentments sent off on a rocket to outer space. Once they are gone, you don't want them back, and you wonder why you couldn't kick them out a long time ago!

Well, it's Lent. Forgiveness Sunday. Why not try and be kinder than necessary? To someone who is difficult for you? Give hope feathers, and she could fly (see Emily Dickinson poems).

Best to you, enjoy the lengthening of days!

- Auriel

The Face of God

Every person is the image of God, but no one is God. What if they were?

What if it turned out that God really was your neighbor? Or, that all of your neighbors, and everyone in the world were God?

What if, after you died, and longingly awaited the final moment when you would actually see God, you found out you had been looking at Him your whole life?

What if God-energy connected people? What if the importance of being good was to nourish those connections instead of destroying them? So that when you feed your neighbor, physically, emotionally, spiritually, you literally feed the God-energy of these connections and hence yourself. And when you destroy your neighbor, or diminish them, you destroy or diminish the God-energy of these connections, and hence yourself. You only have to bring to mind Stalin vs. Ghandi to understand this.

Then to be good actually helps yourself, whereas to be bad hurts yourself, because you are part of that which is all hurt or helped. Self-sacrifice becomes self-help because there are no isolated persons unto themselves - all are connected.

Love heals, hate destroys.

Interesting that we are deeply individuals at the same time we are deeply part of a whole. That seems necessary and lovely to me.

"For the Son of God became man so that we might become God." -- Saint Athanasius the Great, (b. 295 - d. 373)

(Auriel, you are getting preachy again! Yes, but I deeply believe in how people are related and important to each other!

Also, you have fouled up Orthodox theology a bit! Yes, but I'm not really trying to present a pure Orthodox theology, only to make a point about people and their relationships to one another. For more on the Trinity, Christology, the Energies of God, how man becomes deified, see Orthodox Christian sources on the internet.)

Sixty, Wow!

I am still fighting the auto-response of assuming someone doesn't like me if their face looks puzzled or concerned. For pete's sake, Auriel, they might just be puzzled or concerned about something having not a heck of a lot to do with you!

That's what I get.

On the other hand, I expect everyone to know with certainty that when I am expressing a generally cranky mood, it isn't them, necessarily!

Oy vey, the older I get, the trickier this whole getting along thing looks! It was simpler to make quick assumptions! Silly me, I seem to want easy relationships more than working through challenges. I haven't decided whether the struggle to understand people who are polar opposites to me is worth it.

I think a good surrogate for "understanding," which may, after all, never fully arrive, is patience and assuming the best of everyone. Hard, hard, hard sometimes!

My foibles revolve around interpretations. I would be willing to bet if I put away my fear of everything and assumed good wishes and good intentions, it would work.

A good thought for Lent, anyway.

By the way, I have 60 posts - this one makes 61.

Go in peace and enjoy snow if you've got a convenient dose of it. I like snow better than endless rain! Right now, we've got neither! Buster the Wonder Dog says hello to you all, and WILL I PLEASE play with him!

Best,

Auriel