The summer of unfortunate events and yet, notable blessings.

August 1, 2023

August! I think of rich orange sunsets, golden fields, the late summer blooms and the delicious food harvests of the garden. In my savoring of these days of the growing season, I also begin to reflect upon how I've grown in these summer months. 

This summer has certainly and generously challenged me. Unfortunately, not all of our seasons reflect the joyful ones happening in our gardens. After injuring my knee early in June, I now know I will at some point need to have it surgically repaired. Seems I've torn my meniscus at the root. Since, surgery is a no rush, I'm now figuring out how best to serve it until then.

Many of you are familiar with my 8 yr old Vizsla, Harper, for she has been my muse in many writes as well as my partner in living present. In the same June month, we discovered two growths needing to be removed, one from her back and the other on the inside of her ear flap. In the second week of July, we received report of clear, good margins on her back, but that she would need additional surgery on her ear. Both growths were mast cell cancer and the one was still there. Three weeks after her first surgery, she underwent second surgery to remove a small portion of her ear. We are awaiting margin results from lab, but feel confident we'll have them. Three weeks ago, we dramatically changed her diet and our rhythm at home in the kitchen. Today, she is 8 days post-op, thriving and happy and seems to truly enjoy watching Todd and I food prepping her richly dense high protein, low carb diet. Yum! A couple of days ago, I could have sworn she must have found an old pogo stick as she was actually bouncing up and down in great anticipation over dinner! Ha! Remember the pogo stick??! No, I don't still have one and no, she wasn't actually standing and jumping on one. But, she was pouncing nonetheless. :)

While I have spent many days and weeks this summer on the couch with Harper as she rested and healed, (and figuring our what to do with my knee), I also held to my many blessings. Challenges in life sharpen our focus. They remind us of what's most important for us and can serve powerful catalysts toward change. Sometimes, it is simply time. Instead of shying away from making change because we're afraid of what we don't know, can we allow our blessings to remind us that we're still ok when circumstances are far from anything we desire and out of our control, that maybe there's better for us in the trial that can force us into sharpened focus? Can we know we are capable and deserving for betterment?  We really all are absolutely far more resilient and meant to grow to greatness than we sometimes allow for ourselves. Ugh. Why is that? My hope for you is your yoga practice serves a kind reminder to your capacity for betterment and believe. I also hope you count it as blessing. I count you ALL as mine.
 

Thank you for sharing your time and practice with me.
You are important to helping me and all of us build our beautiful community.

In the goodness of August,
Jill