“Jonathan Livingston Buzzard”

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Candia Sanders

With high heat combined with non-existent snow pack, the Lewis River here in Washington state is extremely low. It’s changed animal and avian habits and possibly habitats. We have a pair of Eagles who fish daily in front of the cabin, Hawks and Ospreys who squawk, dive and sail and over twenty hummingbirds who drink deeply of the three Sanders’ feeders. Normally they don’t hang this near when we have a lake before us. Weather patterns have definitely continued to shift and alter the landscape and habitats. My feeling is the earth is just a wee-bit cranky with us for a multitude of sins, but that’s another story.

I hike regularly on a nearby logging road across the lake from our off-grid cabin, now turned river. Each time I hike I’m rewarded with a rare and special treat: A beautiful buzzard follows me on my entire walk. There are several options hiking. One is just above the water line, whereas several others climb the mountain at fairly steep grades. When I take these options, I’m actually higher than “Jonathan” – I named him today-. I feel as if I could reach out and touch his feathers, float on the wind currents with him and scour the water for life below.

As I continue to walk, I talk to him, sending mind messages as well as singing to him. He watches intently. Eventually other buzzards flock, however they remain aloof, afar and definitely not interested, whereas Jonathan hangs nearby, flying in soft circles around me. (Buzzards are incredibly smart creatures. Their brain power and abilities to understand are remarkable – ask any avarian expert who has worked and trained with them.) Today I had this feeling, this moment of recognition, of conversation with him, when I truly realized he was more than his friends, more than most typical birds. He had reached beyond.

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I believe animals, birds, all life literally, have the ability to expand, be more and evolve their consciousness much like humans have the ability for greater consciousness. Each has its own blueprint, it’s own identity. They can through time and temperament expand their being-ness. Or not of course. If you think about it, you’ll remember or know special dogs, cats, horses etc in the animal kingdom that were/are far beyond a typical dog or cat or rabbit or horse. They are more than ~ they have more consciousness. They are evolving. And as they evolve, they light the way for others to see beyond the horizon, much like our spiritual mentors and teachers, Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Mohammed onward, to the unsung spiritual guides, who have helped shape humanity.

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If you’ve never read Jonathan Livingston Seagull, I recommend it. It’s a wonderful journey of discovery as seen through the eyes of Jonathan, the insightful seagull. As for my Jonathan, I look forward to journeying with him further up the mountain. And when he starts sharing his perspective with me, I’ll be happy to elucidate.

Cosmic sunshine to you.

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Wired Up, Wired In: Being Completely Connected to the Universal Grid

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Candia Sanders

We live in an energetic world. Much of our political strife is wrapped around the need for fuels and cost effective energy. An example, America’s energy grid is overloaded, over-worked and simply old. It’s breaking down and in dire need of new resources and rewiring to the main grid. If one section is out, it impacts the entirety.

An ironic simile if we break it down, is our bodies are in need of specific fuels, are made of energy utilizing centers, specifically directed currents, electrical pulses, fiber optics and light, many of which are overloaded, over-worked, tired and disconnected. When one or several of those fueling stations break down we become ill, or discordant or out of touch with the grid. This grid is directly connected to every other energetic essence on this planet. When we short circuit ourselves, our systems, our connection to the universal grid, we literally impact the entire system. “No man is an island” is even more real than ever imagined.

Life Grid

Perhaps you’ve felt out of sync with loved ones, or fellow workers, friends, or feel tired and even ill. If you were to look at the disconnection of healthy loving energy from another perspective, perhaps it is because there are wires in your system that need reconnecting for those currents to run smoothly again. Perhaps it’s a system of thought that needs an energetic electrician to rewire. Maybe it’s a trust issue, recurring betrayals, an emotional faulty wire regarding others always taking advantage, or it could literally be something physical, a break down in the tissues and cells of the body. Ironically, the fix is the same. I know that sounds like a stretch, but everything is connected, everything is created from the same source of universal -there’s that word again- “energy.” Physicality and emotion are as interwoven as male/female, yin/yang, ebb/flow. Nothing is separate.

I’m always healthy yet…I’m incredibly sensitive to electromagnetics and foods. Somewhere there’s an imbalance in my grid connecting me to the universal grid. Ironically, but not really ~as there is much more to the story~ my husband is an electrician. I’m sensitive to the world he lives in. Think there’s a message here for me? I’m thinking so.

My husband daily laments about his cancer, yet is unwilling to look at what might be the emotional cause of his grid’s malfunction. From my view, unless he is, (we are) willing to look at a situation gone amuck, much like the cancer cells in his body, his body will have a tough time rewiring his grid. Trust me, this is my daily focused mantra with him; I do believe the power of love will help open his eyes.

On another note, an amazing man I work with has been gifted with cancer. I say gifted, as he’ll be the first one to tell you he’s a better man today because of his journey. He’s dug in deep, gone down dark tunnels willing to bring buried emotional “treasures” (heavy, sad, hurtful, grieving memories) to light, recognizing the repeated patterns he played throughout. This chapter he’s a new guy. A much better, balanced, caring, sharing, giving-without-demands or expectations man. He understands the connection of cells and various nefarious emotions with illness, and love, forgiveness and letting-go with his incredible healing and successes. He’s willing to do the work.

But in my husband’s defense, he like millions of others, believes there is a separation between the physical body and how he feels. How we think is our computer, impacting the physical systems, how we feel lights or darkens the cells activities. Our emotional body is our soul link to the universe, sometimes weighted down with earthly experiences but still and always connected to the universal grid of energy.

If any system in your life is in need of rewiring, from relationships, job, your health, to exploring your true life’s calling then it might be time for a grid cleaning, new wire installation and re-hookup to the immortal-forever-grid. There are many options available to assist, however the most viable and direct is through the doorway of your heart.

Love and forgiveness reconnects the divine patterning of your circuitry.

Or call an energetic electrical grid specialist (wink wink).

Cosmic sunshine to you.

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“Being Santa, Laughing like Buddha”

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Candia Sanders

Today as I was driving I noticed a man in his truck talking with his child. He had a look of blank consternation on his face, perhaps some frustration, with rather disheveled hair and a mustache. It reminded me of a moment in my late teen’s when I was driving to this really cute boy’s house, Steve Larson, as I now remember his name, and I saw this elderly man, probably in his late 60s walking to his mailbox. I remember wondering what his life was about? What had he done? Had it given him joy, purpose? I can still see his face and his rather shabby clothing. I remember thinking, did he know “love” or was his life lonely? It felt lonely to me with his closed curtains and wilted yard.

The driver today had that same look, the look of questioning, the look of wondering what his life was all about? Did the drama have purpose? Was his conversation with his child objective, meaningful, or was it just another moment, another day of doing duty? I look at so many people and wonder if they’ve contemplated their purpose and why they are here? With things globally heating up and so many things going awry, I feel it’s imperative to really look within at the meaning of life, your life, my life, our lives together.

I know this man. He’s nearly sixty, works like a beast, is incredibly grateful for a good meal, has hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail, will probably never see the Eiffel Tower but has hung out with the Redwoods. Has a high school education, is simple in his needs, desires and speech. Has enough money to keep a roof over his head and his wife fed. He reads informative books and stares at the sky for hours at a time. I think he’s an evolved being, here on his last journey. He embodies what is truly important. He is kind, always jolly, almost like Santa Claus, actually kind of looks like Santa, and is consistently available and generous with his time. Buddha like, I’m thinking.

The difference between these individuals is vast, as large as the Pacific. Being able to grasp what’s valuable, hold onto it in their hearts, laugh at the absurdities and embrace the goodness. Dive into love, move with it, melt into it and spread it around. Work hard, discover purpose, and love every breath, every heartbeat, well that’s the difference. Give back in kindness, offer support and assistance, and be grateful for daily pleasures. Yes, I do think he’s an enlightened being here to teach me, to remind me the simplicitys of life are the most generous and rewarding.

  
But if we remember we can build boats and ships and even submersibles to move across that vast ocean of differences, we then have the inner power to change how we see and do and live life.

Be Santa, think Buddha, live simply.

Cosmic sunshine to you.

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“Living with the Crazies”

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Candia Sanders

They’re out there, the Crazies. You know the ones that send you round the bend, pull your chain, crank your motor. But hey! Cranking your engine could be fun…just saying…but…Personally, we are dealing with a few invisible ones ourselves. Ones that work behind glass offices in unreachable towers. Ones that controll our water and make large decisions that impact thousands of people. Those Crazies. Or the ones that raise taxes on the middle class small businesses, or the Crazies that make covert alianances to serve their own pocketbooks. Yes. They’re out there. The Crazies. Lucky us.

I was on a radio program last week discussing all kinds of deep dark secrets that are the under current of this planet. The one the Crazies have control over. The underbelly that has entrails into the government sector of not only the U.S. but globally. And here you thought I was talking about your Crazy beer-guzzling, pistol-toting neighbor. No, I’m talking about bigger fish, but ironically, small or big, Crazy is Crazy. I’ve been following, reading and staying abreast for over twenty-five years the things that are happening under the cover of darkness, kept in secret vaults of manipulation. I feel we have actually hit a turning point, a very momentous occasion where the positive thoughts and deeds are going in the right direction instead of being swept in the negative tide pools. Where the Light is overriding the Dark, the Shadow. It’s an energetic thing, you know, like the difference between feeling happy emotions emitting from someone versus someone embroiled in anger. It’s a very tangible intangible event. You can feel and notice the comparison.

 I feel we have moved into the 51% to 49% in favor of positively responsible loving action on the planet. Doesn’t mean we are out of the weeds by any notion, far from it, but to me, it’s truly the beginning of what some are calling the Golden Age, though it could still be 500-1000 years hence, but it’s beginning. Now. With us and even with the Crazies. They’ll awaken eventually because in truth, they’re just us anyway, acting from the reverse side of the mirror. We can help them by sharing through example, writing, communicating on every level and protesting if we must. This could be something you deal with even within the confines of your own family because, as you know, every family has one, a Crazy. 

I might be that in mine. 

  
Go out and make a difference. Howl at the moon, sing in public, hug everyone at work, help someone cross a street, make lemonade and share with your neighbors, smile at everyone in the veggie department. Make positive vibes the norm. Changes the Crazies. Helps bring sanity to the world. Yep! Be part of this. Blow kisses at the Crazies. As love changes everything.

  
Cosmic sunshine to you.

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“Wearing the Pink”

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Candia Sanders

I’m wearing a pink-glow-in-the-dark wrist band today. It was a gift from a young bald woman at the oncologists’ who was sharing gifts and smiles. Her challenge: breast cancer. She couldn’t have been more than in her early thirties, far too young to be dealing with cancer. Yet here she was, smiling, laughing and telling tales. What a bright spot she was in the office. Pink by the way, is the color of love. It symbolizes the juncture in the heart half way between the red root chakra and the white crown chakra. The perfect color to awaken people’s hearts, awareness and empathy.

  
I’ve learned a great deal over the last two years about cancer. I’ve learned even more about the emotional roller coaster created from the diagnosis. It’s the full gamut of feelings from denial, depression, grief to acceptance. The “Why me?” question rings like an undercurrent throughout the chemo rooms.

As the spouse, the care giver, and ultimately the healer, I’ve had to take a backseat to the process. Sometimes the best course of action is none at all. I’ve literally had to “lay it all down” and walk away, opting instead to “be there” for my husband with no cajoling, no diet restrictions, no admonishment for not staying abreast of the vast amount of supplements, not requiring exercise. Literally not doing any of my “healings.”

It’s been strange. Seriously. Every time I’ve had him “clear,” in remission, for whatever ailment was on the docket, another would be created. I finally had this “ah-ha” moment that said, out loud and clearly, “this isn’t your job.” There’s a much bigger story going on. I had a client remark that didn’t speak well of my abilities, my practice. The larger truth is not everyone wants to be healed. Not everyone can be healed as there are larger chronicles waiting to be written and acted out. Karma at its finest.

Trust me. From my place ~ and I’m such a “fix it” kind of gal, that stepping back doesn’t come easily for me. Part of my lessons ~ step out of the driver’s seat and let life unfold. Let the control go basically. Whew! So difficult especially with someone you’ve loved and shared your life. 

Sitting at the oncologists and speaking to others who are challenged by cancer has also opened my eyes to travails seen through the lens of allopathic medicine, the “bennies” (benefits) and pitfalls. My husband has now dealt with as the sideline of chemo, ulcers, nausea, gout, blodo clots in his lungs and now extremely low white blood cells. He virtually has no immune system. They’re killing him to save him as you’ve heard me say before. I have great empathy for him and everyone being subjected to the ramifications and virtual death sentence of cancer. I have deep compassion for the overwhelming costs on the families and loved ones. The impact is enormous. In the U.S. one in three is now expected to have/get cancer. (Truth: we all have cancer in our bodies. It depends on the emotional, mental and physical backgrounds, genes, DNS, diet, exposure to toxins, chemicals, etc as to whom will have it activated.) Something has got to shift sooner than later. The U.S. has one of the highest cancer rates. Why is this? My opinion ~ our fuel sources, our foods. Too much garbage and not enough substance coupled with heavy toxins. A lethal dose as verified by the rise in the medical and insurance companies across the states.

My invitation~ next time you see someone bald from chemo or has blisters from radiation, reach out to them, smile, say hello. Help them gain back some of their humanity. So much is stripped of their essence, their personalities, through the burgeoning therapies. It’ll make their day and fill your heart full of goodness.

And goodness goes a long way, a very long way. Here’s to pink, and every other color in the rainbow.

Cosmic sunshine to you.

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“And the Solution Is?”

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Candia Sanders

It’s amazing how many are going through the “eye of the needle” right now. Everything piling on at once, in one form, a hundred forms, all concurrently. It’s fascinating. We’ve obviously decided to all do this together, holding hands, to support each other as we squeeze and maneuver through the eye. It’s tight by the way.

I’m seeing it with friends, with clients, with family. The timing sucks. As if one more thing couldn’t be added to the pile, along comes one more emotional punch, another added responsibility, another deadline. Can you say overwhelming? Exhausting? Yep! I’m thinking so.

So what’s the reason? What’s the solution? Both great questions, both relevant.

The reason: From my perspective we are being pushed out of our comfort zones as individuals as soul groups, forcing us to align with what is the most important, most vital ingredient in our lives. It’s easy to be complacent, stay with the status quo because it’s safe, feels normal, even if in truth, it “ain’t.” Ironically the more demands are adding up, the more life is calling us to simplify, to downsize, to identify, to clarify our truths, by moving one-step-at-a-time.  Resist the temptation to fall prey to the sense of “overwhelming chaos.” Remember ~ one step. Simplify. It pays off ten-fold as you transition through the “eye.”

Using the visual of our body being squeezed, pushed, shoved through a very tiny hole, clarifies why one-step-at-a-time is the only way through the “chaos-moment.” Too much wiggling, resisting, side-stepping, only takes us further from our real truths, what’s important to our journey, not too mention added weight from stress and unwanted commitments.

  
The solution: In addition to literally tackling the challenge one step at a time, the next bonus is coming from the mindset of “my solution to this is…” It’s far too easy to dump the problems on others, when in truth, the universe is conspiring to assist you, push you, encourage you through the needle eye (hole,) to mold you into more whole-ness. A wonderful transformative process if you’re willing to be patient, trusting, resourceful and centered. Even if currently the solution isn’t clear, it will be the more you allow the pressure to support you rather than deflate you. Something important to ponder, remember: The solution might look differently than what was initially imagined.

Expand the solution into resolution. Resolute means strong willed, determined, unwavering, steadfast and single minded. Much like one-step-at-a-time thinking. As you are squeezed, seek resolution: be committed to the experience. Another important option is creating the solution through dissolution. Dissolution is the closing down of a partnership, or an assembly, a conclusion, dismissal, a termination. Sometimes the only course of action is the cessation of something in your life that no longer serves you, no longer feeds your heart and soul. Both are solutions, both resolve the dilemma.

And once you’re through the pressure, the squeeze, the eye, well, “hey now!” Life is good. And even more so because not only have you fine-tuned your life, focused on priorities and survived a major transition, you’ve thrived. You’ve made good decisions. 

Trust too, you’re never alone. We share this phenomenal orbital ride through the galaxies of existence. Trust your instincts even when the hole seems too narrow to move through. Magic happens when you trust your heart. Everything expands including the eye of the needle. 

Remember the solutions when you too go through this tight squeeze. Few are exempt.

Cosmic sunshine to you.

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“You’re the Author: Make it Compelling”

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Candia Sanders

I love reading. Everything from archeology to numerology to health to architecture to political conspiracies to… ad infinitum. Recently, for the first time in years, I actually bought three novels to brighten my summer; what a treat! To read a story, a tale of mystery and surprise to delve my thoughts into, is not only a lovely distraction but a fun carry-me-away release. Summer pleasures.

Now here’s the fun part. If you were to look at your life as a great novel, which one would it be? The Fountainhead? Beloved? Pride and Prejudice? Candide? Guilty Pleasures? Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? Illusions? The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy? (One of my true favs.)  Or, with you as the author of your own life story, how would you want it to read? Romance, adventure, drama, part mystery, comedy, political satire? An ordinary story of high stakes baking competitions or exotic pleasure hunting? My point being, in truth, you are the author of your life. The more you take the pen in hand to create your best story, it coincidentally happens.

  
If I were to examine this stage of my life, it is the high amplitude chapter in the book where everything happens concurrently where the protagonist has little to no breathing room. A possible Michael Kimball’s 2011 book, Us. However, once oxygen has been brought into the tale, the heroine, in this case, myself, has the ability to inhale deeply, to move forward, taking all the skills and tools I’ve learned. It’s this rich-mix of texture and tune I plan on utilizing in my already unfolding next chapter even though this one is not yet completed. Like the fine character in The Gladiator, Juba, said, “not yet.”

It truly is like reading a great book where the chapter endings are compelling and is virtually impossible to put down: the all night guilty pleasure binge. All the pieces and elements of the tapestry are woven so tightly together it’s unreasonable, even objectionable to not be drawn into the emotional threads. Every color added into the design, the novella, grows dimension and depth, heft and hue to draw you further into the thick. Your life as it stands? Or how you want it written?

So everything you’re doing ~or not~ right now, is creating your next chapter. Do you have all the elements of art and desire, emotional balance, action mixed with mystery to make your life a fabulous read? If not, consider your lifetime favorite stories, these books you can still recall characters, scenes, lines and write them into your script, your lifetime chapter book. You’re the author. Make it compelling!

To happy, hilarious yet beguiling chapters.

Cosmic sunshine to you.

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“Fault Lines Running Under Us”

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Candia Sanders

There’s a cool west wind blowing creating choppy water. The sun is breaking through the thick gray late May clouds. Typical NW spring. I’m grateful to the moderate climate. Texas is underwater, buried in torrential buckets of stormy rains. Too bad they can’t send their excess to California where they desperately need it.

  
The weather is wild and unpredictable. There have been record number of quakes happening here on the west coast in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California going east into Nevada. Gaia is exerting her power, her prowess-ness, letting us know she’s eternal; as a species it’s us who are not. 

I look at everything as a mirror, a reflection into our world, our lives. If there are earth quakes and fault line activity heating up, where are there quakes and fault lines in our lives that need stabilizing? Well, it’s pretty straight forward in my life currently but sometimes it can be more subversive, more challenging, to figure out the imbalances that can be undermining. Often times, we’ve been doing the dance so long, we ignore the missteps and bad moves because it’s easier to do it poorly, unhappily, than to seek out a new instructor, learn new steps and push ourselves outside the expected routines. It’s what we do. We like comfort, routine, sameness rather than the jolt of lightening mixed with tequila. But sometimes, those fault lines are necessary to shake it up, loosen old patterns, habits and behaviors to break free into new territory, create new continents of being.

  
The anology is also quite brilliant ~ fault lines ~ we are so good at that too, looking for fault in others rather than taking responsibility ourselves. The blame-game is one our favorites.  

The bottom line is how we deal with the fault lines that are running under our lives. It’s all in our perceptions, in determining if they’re good or bad, negative or positive. Because the larger truth is, they just “are” ~  they just are a part of life. It’s how we digest the lightning laced with tequila that determines the outcome.

May you learn new dance moves. May your tequila always be gold.

Cosmic sunshine to you.

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“Heaven and Beyond”

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Candia Sanders

Watching someone leave their body is an incredible experience. Having them return is miraculous. It’s part of this ever revolving, ever evolving story. I know everyone has their beliefs about dying, death, religion, “heaven,” the after-life and the meaning of life. It’s not my job to convince, cajole or alter people’s thinking however I’m willing to share my experiences, my perceptions and what I’ve seen over the course of my life. 

My first concept is, what most perceive to be true, is but a limited version of the actual larger story. Even “heaven” and what most envision “heaven” to be, from my perception is but looking through a pin-hole of what actually “is.” I can feel “heaven,” the dimensional-space-beyond, as ever expanding in its consciousness, its awareness. As we progress, the universe and dimensional aspects also expand forever forward into love and completeness.

  
I also feel when our bodies die, our beliefs and perceptions follow us. The images and beliefs that fill our minds and hearts are recreated as we leave the physical. Thus Christians will see Jesus, followers of Islam will see Mohammed, Hindus will see Vishnu, Jews will connect with Yahweh and on throughout the religious worlds. I believe this holds true for spiritualists to atheists. What our beliefs are, continue to be with us until we grow and expand and we see further than we’ve ever imagined. Thus, everyone’s truth is real, is correct, is perfect ~ at that moment ~ until awareness ignites into greater possibilities beyond the planetary system.

I personally believe nature is our mirror. We move through the cycles of birth, growth, expansion, till we contract, retract and eventually meld back into dust. We return again and again till we perfect the cycles, living completely within the circle of love. I have experienced and felt myself dying, not in this timeframe but in others. One I will share is dying from a bullet wound to the left side of my abdomen. It was sudden and a fairly quick departure from the body. Ironically too, the bullet wound itself was not painful, more pain-less than imagined from perceived images. I remember my body fading as I silently slipped from its cellular matrix, the energy lifeless, no longer able to sustain my soul frequency. I ascended away from the earthly images and into another dimensional construct of energy, love, possibilities and choices.

On the “other side” there are options, opportunities and multiple levels. Ironically I believe they are available here if we had the vision to see. We are extremely limited in our perceptions in what we choose to believe is real ~ for safety reasons, in other words, out of “fear,” for security, for tradition, and a multitude of others including our own choosing of limitations. We have to be blind to truly see.

When my dad jumped ship and left his tired body, I could sense him above us hovering, choosing to stay or go. I know he saw my distraught mother, sensed her anxiety and fear. He in his love for her, for us, chose to come back and stay awhile yet, to participate, rejoice in another day lived. He has no fear of dying, of leaving his body, only in leaving his loved ones, albeit briefly. Because in the scheme of the cosmos, our lives are but a blink, a nano-second in the ever expanding consciousness of the eternal.

  
I asked him if he had noticed anything while gone. Being short and succinct, he just said, “Hell no, I wasn’t looking.” You have to understand my dad and his hilarious sense of humor.  I appreciated his sentiments. 

 I’ve been with others who have left their bodies, moved on into the greater “All that Is.” The most vivid aspect is the remaining body without the energy of the soul, like seeing my dad’s lifeless one as we were moving it. The bodies that had serviced the souls well. We are our bodies and we are not. I believe we need to honor their consciousness, their cells that hold our vitality, our soul consciousness for our brief journeys.

Death and dying is a natural cycle. What isn’t natural is our fear.

To life, our body consciousness and to an easy fearless departure when the time is appropriate. 

To the eternal!

Cosmic sunshine to you.

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“The Circle of Life”

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Candia Sanders

Sunday, mom’s day, I was visiting my parents. My aunt and uncle were with us. We’d had a great day together, sharing stories, laughing, crying and being together as family. Around ten, mom took my elderly dad into the shower for his evening wash. I heard an animal sound, rushed in to see my dad slumped over his stool.  I threw a towel to my shocked mom as my aunt and uncle came running. I got mom out of there and my aunt, uncle and I picked up my dad’s lifeless body. He was white, cold and thin. I was thinking to myself, “Thank God I’m here. This is “It.””

Dad literally left his body. I could see it, feel it. “Okay, I can do this. I can handle this. I’m strong.” This was going over and over in my mind like a warped record as we were wrestling his limp, dead-weighted body. We were trying to lift him out of the shower and put him on his walker seat to move the body. My aunt leaned down and said, “Breathe Lyle, breathe.” And like a Hollywood movie, his chest heaved deeply expanding his ribcage, and air filled his lungs. Several minutes had passed from the original moans, to mom’s exiting, to us moving him. Here he was back in his body.

  
Everything happened so quickly it was phenomenal. “In” one minute, “out” the next, and back “in” after several. An amazing experience. Within thirty, he had color and was talking, quipping, telling us he hadn’t bothered talking to St. Peter, he wasn’t interested…yet.

Bigger picture: dad graduated from hospice over a year ago. We have had an extra year and three/quarters with him. He’s lived at least 12/13 extra lives this go-round, surviving incredible odds, accidents, body failings. He is such a testiment to the power of positive beliefs and thinking. And yes, he is back with hospice as his heart is literally tired. Fortunately I have had the ability to stay and help my mom, spend quality time with my dad, writing down memorable moments. It’s all too easy to forget those special exchanges in the aftermath of a near passing.

The good news he is definitely an integral part of the circle of life, living a good, happy nearly 87 years. That’s the way it should be in a perfect circle. 

I want to rejoice when he does take his final breath, a celebration of a life well-lived, a toast to a true rebel. I will continue to communicate with him – we’ve talked about that- but I will miss him.

May you spend time with those you love. Life is but a blink of a very fast eye, the circle closing all too quickly. 

Make your circle always sparkle with daily gratitude.

Cosmic sunshine to you.

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