Thanks to Leah at Austin Yoga for all her film and book recommendations!. I recently finished watching the third film in the trilogy directed by Deepa Mehta--Fire, Earth, Water. Absolutely beautiful, educational, touching. I'm just now beginning to read The Inheritance of Loss and was so engrossed in it yesterday that I failed to hear my psychiatrist call my name. When I showed him the book I was reading, he told me his wife had read it twice she liked it so much (she is also a psychiatrist). Why do I see a psychiatrist? Well, it all began when I was 16 years old, and I've never been without one. An early diagnosis of manic-depressive illness, now called bipolar disorder, has been with me all these years although it has been quite a few years now since it has shown manifestation. There are aspects of Western medicine and psychology that have so much to offer in the way of healing (be proactive!), and when combined with spirituality and the holistic science of yoga, the benefits can be profound.
My outdoor cat Misty brought me a white wing dove. She always has this contented, unmistakable look of gratification when she brings me her trophies, and bring them to me she does. Of course I don't like it but she is doing what her instincts are telling her to do. So, I am ever so often rescuing animals and releasing them back to the wild whenever possible. I must admit that she does manage to eat many of her catches but I accept that as part of her nature and although I don't praise her, I certainly do not chastise her either. She is trying to win my acceptance, and because of the abuse she apparently has suffered, I've worked hard to win her trust. So this beautiful white wing dove was lying in the grass a few feet from Misty, and when I walked over to him I was surprised to find him alive. He walked away and headed for cover, begging for a safe place to hide. He could not fly. So, I brought him inside, put him in a large, ventilated box lined with cotton tee shirts and put him in a warm, quiet place, and covered the box with towels to create darkness and calm for him. Several hours later I attempted to release him but he would have nothing to do with it. He stayed put. We repeated this several times but apparently he wanted me to continue helping him (a juvenile male). Surprisingly he drank some water and appeared to eat a little so within 24 hours I presented him to a Wildlife Rescue bird rehabilitator who immediately examined him, gave him an antibiotic injection and sprayed his bloody wounds with a painkiller (of course she kissed him, called him darling and other endearments, as animal lovers are wont to do). "With a few stitches and time, he will be completely healed. Nothing is broken and the muscles used for flight will heal." The bacteria from the mouth of cats is deadly to birds and they must have antibiotic treatment within a prescribed amount of time or they will likely die. One of my other cats, Ralph, has been suffering from kidney issues for years now. A prescription diet worked well, then we added medication, then doubled it, now we are hydrating him three times a week subcutaneously. I don't think he has much longer to live. He has a sad, pleading look on his face that in many ways reminds me of myself. Along with his sisters and mother, he was rescued from the Humane Society and certain euthanasia, only to watch his mother and three sisters get adopted out while he stayed in the shelter for five more years. I've had him now for about 6 years and he is a sweetheart.
I witnessed a near fatal collision today. A car was driving on the far right lane of a four lane highway, probably going 55 or 60, when another car pulled out right in front of her. She slammed on her brakes and swerved, causing her car to slide sideways along the middle of the highway. She was so lucky there were no cars in the opposite lane, and she and the other driver are so lucky that she did indeed swerve and avoid a collision there too. I pulled over and stayed as a witness. All was okay, but this sweet woman gave me a very warm hug. It was unfortunate that this incident happened, but the warm hug and tenderness she showed to me was ever so sweet and will stay with me throughout the day.
******
Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi
My outdoor cat Misty brought me a white wing dove. She always has this contented, unmistakable look of gratification when she brings me her trophies, and bring them to me she does. Of course I don't like it but she is doing what her instincts are telling her to do. So, I am ever so often rescuing animals and releasing them back to the wild whenever possible. I must admit that she does manage to eat many of her catches but I accept that as part of her nature and although I don't praise her, I certainly do not chastise her either. She is trying to win my acceptance, and because of the abuse she apparently has suffered, I've worked hard to win her trust. So this beautiful white wing dove was lying in the grass a few feet from Misty, and when I walked over to him I was surprised to find him alive. He walked away and headed for cover, begging for a safe place to hide. He could not fly. So, I brought him inside, put him in a large, ventilated box lined with cotton tee shirts and put him in a warm, quiet place, and covered the box with towels to create darkness and calm for him. Several hours later I attempted to release him but he would have nothing to do with it. He stayed put. We repeated this several times but apparently he wanted me to continue helping him (a juvenile male). Surprisingly he drank some water and appeared to eat a little so within 24 hours I presented him to a Wildlife Rescue bird rehabilitator who immediately examined him, gave him an antibiotic injection and sprayed his bloody wounds with a painkiller (of course she kissed him, called him darling and other endearments, as animal lovers are wont to do). "With a few stitches and time, he will be completely healed. Nothing is broken and the muscles used for flight will heal." The bacteria from the mouth of cats is deadly to birds and they must have antibiotic treatment within a prescribed amount of time or they will likely die. One of my other cats, Ralph, has been suffering from kidney issues for years now. A prescription diet worked well, then we added medication, then doubled it, now we are hydrating him three times a week subcutaneously. I don't think he has much longer to live. He has a sad, pleading look on his face that in many ways reminds me of myself. Along with his sisters and mother, he was rescued from the Humane Society and certain euthanasia, only to watch his mother and three sisters get adopted out while he stayed in the shelter for five more years. I've had him now for about 6 years and he is a sweetheart.
I witnessed a near fatal collision today. A car was driving on the far right lane of a four lane highway, probably going 55 or 60, when another car pulled out right in front of her. She slammed on her brakes and swerved, causing her car to slide sideways along the middle of the highway. She was so lucky there were no cars in the opposite lane, and she and the other driver are so lucky that she did indeed swerve and avoid a collision there too. I pulled over and stayed as a witness. All was okay, but this sweet woman gave me a very warm hug. It was unfortunate that this incident happened, but the warm hug and tenderness she showed to me was ever so sweet and will stay with me throughout the day.
******
Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi
