I have a propane fireplace, installed when the house was built. Due to a faulty unit or bad install it’s emitted a continuous but slow toxic soot over the house. Literally everywhere. Due to high ceilings initially I thought the shadows were just darker defining areas on the walls. My carpets became darker, blacker. Windowsills had black footprints from my cat. A black streak of soot began forming on the outside of the house a yard plus wide. Enough.

Ironically in today’s world, the fault is quickly passed onto someone else. The system becomes quagmired and nothing gets done. It becomes a blame-game. Bottom line is shit happens. It all depends on how we deal with it that defines the outcome.

Truthfully I probably let it go on too long thinking someone was going to step-up and do the right thing, based on my personal approach to life. That’s not necessarily the way things happen, right? We all have different approaches, beliefs, attitudes and responses. I happened to get the deer-in-headlights, look scared, run and do nothing subcontractor.

I really do believe everything circles back to us, to ourselves, to myself. So what is there to learn from this? *Attitude is number one; good or bad it’s up to me how I handle it. Get pissed and/or stay calm and direct. *Draw the line of demarcation and say, okay, something needs to be done now. It’s easy to procrastinate and wait for someone to step up, which doesn’t happen unless a fire is lit. Charlie the Wonder Dog is snoring loud now, his sinuses, even with magic, are clogged from the soot in the carpet. *Stay firm. Be kind yet direct responsibility to right parties. *Follow through, stay true to course, till finalized. This relates to everything from discourse in our relationships, to our careers, our health. Shit happens. It’s how we approach the situation, the dilemma, from hiding our heads in the sand, to not standing up for ourselves, not taking action, putting up with substandard  communication, involvement, to recognizing our place in the equation and taking responsibility to change the outcome. It’s always our job.

Bigger picture, what’s this about? Is this a mirror into my life? Is there something or someplace that needs restoring? A clean-up? An emotional reorganization? A letting go? Or is it just something that happened being on earth? I feel it has been a clear restoration of my faith, belief, this location was a great choice three years ago when my life was on a shattered, scattered rocky cliff. I moved away from thirty years of close friendships and known commodities to start anew. A complete revamp of my life in every single aspect. I questioned if this was the right move, the best location. This upheaval solidified in my heart it was perfect.

I’m looking at the positives: new paint means new color. Carpet removal means carpet upgrade. Oriental carpets cleaned and spiffed, furniture and upholstery, curtains and pillows looking brand new. A new fireplace and bricks. I’m still in overhaul here. The process has begun but have weeks ahead to be finalized, but it’s begun. Finally after nine months of negations.

Attitude baby! It’s what changes the outcome. Makes sailing easier too through the choppy seas.

Cosmic sunshine to you.☀️

*This is where the earth’s environment gets cleaned up: in our own backyards first. It always begins with us.

**Charlie the Wonder Dog, blind and hampered by sciatica, will be 13 in August. It’s the Love that keeps him going. 💕

candiasanders.com