Letter From A Friend – Guest Blog December 5, 2013

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started this blog. I just jumped in and started swimming (which is a big accomplishment for a dog). I know I’ve said it before, but I there is one thing in particular I wasn’t expecting when I started blogging all those months ago. The friendships. I had no idea how wonderful it would be to find a new family in this WordPress blogosphere, and yet that is what I’ve developed. Thank you all for being part of that for me.

In celebration of this, I wanted to share a guest blog I received a while back from my dear friend Ku from over at Haiku by Ku. In response to my request for a blog on Ku’s perspective on joy from the ground up: 

 

My dear buddy Wiley,

Having friends like you brings me joy. There are so many things in life that bring me joy, but what really brings me joy from the ground up is life! All the little things, all those little threads of joy that make life life all spring from the same deep root of life itself.

Life is filled with all sorts of things that make us smile, and frown, and laugh, and cry, and sing, and pout. But through the course of my puppyhood in the puppy mill, my rescue and healing journey, and now with my Mama and my new pack I have learned that all those things, all my experiences, both good and bad, are all a part of life. Without pain, there is no pleasure. Without fear, there is no love. Without suffering, there is no compassion. These are two sides of the same coin, the coin of life.

As the poet Kahlil Gilbran said, “The deeper that sorrow carves into my heart, the more joy it can contain.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Though I am sure I would have been a sweet pup, had I not experienced the hunger, horror, and suffering during my first year of life, I do not think my heart would have the same capacity to hold and to allow to take root the eternal joy that is life itself!

Indeed, dear Ku, that is joy from the ground up. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. More importantly, thank you for being one of many of the friends who have become family over the last year.

For more by Ku, please check out his book to help support animal rescue,  as well as the other works of art listed below.

Through the Peacock’s Eyes, Insights for Spiritual Living

On the Streets of San Francisco, Photography

Facebook

Twitter

Haiku By Ku, A Poetic Pup’s Poem

Swami Zoe’s Yoga and Zen

Advertisement

God’s Gift to Me April 20, 2013

I realized today I give out an awful lot of cyber hugs and high paws lately. I love my blogosphere. Seeing it grow into a forum for sharing smiles, joy, laughter, and sometimes even a few tears has been an unexpected blessing. These are all some pretty big feelings we talk about here, which I say brings us together in a way unlike any other.

It brings to mind the thoughts of South African social rights leader Desmond Tutu, who said “you don’t chose your family, they are God’s gift to you.” How blessed I am to have so many people in my life with whom to share all my big thoughts and emotions!

God’s gift came to life in a unique way for me recently, with my receipt of the WordPress Family Blogging Award from two truly inspirational people bloggers. Thank you, Melanie and Misifusa, for what you do each day. You bring sunshine into the daily lives of so many and are truly special to me. Congratulations to both of you for a job well done. Here’s how it works:

Rules:

1. Display the award logo on your blog.

2. Link back to the person who nominated you.

3. Nominate 10 others you see as having an impact on your WordPress experience and family

4. Let your 10 Family members know you have awarded them

5. That is it. Just please pick 10 people who have taken you as  a friend, and spread the love

Sharing the Joy

I’ve said before that joy is best enjoyed when it can be shared, and what better way than to nominate some of the members of my WordPress family who inspire me daily.

Sheila Morris http://essayswithhumor.wordpress.com/

Rumpy Dog http://rumpydog.com/

Maria http://acceleratedstall.com/

Cupcake (and her mom) http://cupcakepetrillo.wordpress.com/

Trev http://writetowag.wordpress.com/

Lyn http://theencouragingscribe.wordpress.com/

Wendy and her Diplomatic Doggie http://diplomaticdog.wordpress.com/

Michelle http://hopethehappyhugger.wordpress.com/

MissEllaTea http://randomencountersoftheinquisitivemind.wordpress.com/

Chaing the Perfect Moment http://chasingtheperfectmoment.com/

Rarasaur http://rarasaur.wordpress.com/

Matthew http://thematticuskingdom.wordpress.com/

Jump for Joy http://jumpforjoyphotoproject.wordpress.com/

Misaki http://themisadventuresofmisaki.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/playdate/

Amba http://soyouthinkyoucanthink.wordpress.com/

Huntmode and family http://chasingrabbitholes.com/best-advice-received/

Mangus http://magnuswendler.com/

Carolyn http://www.abcofspiritalk.com/

HastyWords http://hastywords.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/shattered-broken-pieces/

Scrapydo http://scrapydo.wordpress.com/

This is a sample of some of the most special bloggers in my life. Thank you also to Shaun (Praying for one day), who created this special award.

This is what Shaun had to say about this it:

“This is an award for everyone who is part of the “Word Press Family” I start this award on the basis that the WordPress family has taken me in, and showed me love and a caring side only WordPress can. The way people take a second to be nice, to answer a question and not make things a competition amazes me here. I know I have been given many awards, but I wanted to leave my own legacy on here by creating my own award, as many have done before. This represents “Family” we never meet, but are there for us as family. It is my honour to start this award”

Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw said “a happy family is but an earlier heaven.” I don’t know how doggie heaven can be any better than this.