For the Love of Goldens

Several years ago I decided to adopt Lucy Lou.

I had had a Golden Retriever (Penny) for many years until she peacefully made her transition. After grieving for two years, I decided it was time. So, I went to Golden Bond Rescue in Oregon and submitted an application.

After several interviews, including an in-home and one with the foster mom, Lucy came home. She has been an important part of my family ever since.

Those that have met her would agree that there is not much that riles her. She is sweet, loving, and completely addicted to tennis balls. With a HUGE heart and an expressive personality, Lucy has been a source of endless love, lots of laughs, and constant companionship.

She, along with every other Golden I have ever met, is an adoring, gentle being. That is why it breaks my heart to once again hear about the atrocities of puppy mills. In this particular case, several Goldens were rescued from a mill in Burns, Oregon and are in the process of being reacclimated to loving environments.

While Golden Bond is in desperate need of donations (they expect vet bills to exceed $10,000), many, many dogs country-wide are in desperate need of homes.

I am not blogging because I have alterior motives. No one from Golden Bond asked me to write about this. But, I am so moved, so DISAPPOINTED by people who make a living through the suffering of loving, furry animals.

I know, I know. There are many atrocities throughout the world. People do awful things to each other. People do awful things to animals and our planet. So, where so we begin to right the wrongs?

There is only so much each individual can do. But, collectively, these small efforts amount to great change. Figure out what moves you. What small step you want to take. I will admit - I offered a donation to Golden Bond. And, quite honestly, if I were in Oregon, I would be at the shelter lending a hand. So, my call to action is to find a shelter here in New Orleans and do the same.

If you feel moved to donate, I'm sure Golden Bond would be grateful. If not, just consider a small step - a donation of time, energy, love, into anything that would help right a wrong and continue to shape our world into the loving, positive place it is meant to be.

Finding Purpose (in Manolos?)

Snow Day today! Gosh I love snow days. Like I said last month, they make me feel like I am back in elementary school and have woke up to the GREATEST DAY EVER!

Of course, every day should be the greatest day ever. And, today came pretty close, in a simple kind of way.

I went and saw a movie, which is a rare treat for a Monday afternoon. Confessions of a Shopaholic - which I undoubtedly related to more than I really wish to admit. Nevertheless, the main character's real identity, which eventually surfaces, is what I aspire to be - funny, edgy, fresh, inspired.

So, how do I get there? My "magic cards" are not the answer, and I am finding there are better ways to spend money than using these cards on Prada bags and Gucci boots. (Ok, I will admit that it would be amazing to actually own these or, my ultimate indulgence, a pair of Manolos.)

But, I just don't think I'll ever be able to justify the average $600 price tag when my conscious continues to remind me how far that money could go for better causes. Of course, from a purely feminine perspective, some of Manolo's designs are SO gorgeous!

It's funny how sometimes we are taken by surprise. And, how sometimes life takes us by surprise. Never would I have thought that I would blog about fashion or post a video about shoes. Come on. This is the woman who finds enjoyment hiking through nature, thanking the trees for their continued support to our environment and oxygen supply.

But, there really is more to it. This post is not about shoes, or bags, or shopping. Instead, it's about being the people God meant us to be. It's about living an inspired, full, complete life. Materialism cannot get us there because it is the connection to purpose which grounds us and makes life worth the uncertainty.

Just as in the movie, where Becky found truth and purpose in writing about complex financial concepts by relating them to fashion, so must we all strive to find purpose by exploring the things we are conversant in. We all have the gift to simplify the complex - and this can come in a variety of forms.

Today's Daily Word begs the question:

Am I feeling there is so much more I can do in life or desire to do with my life? That feeling may be an inner prompting that reminds me I have a great work to do, great gifts to give, and a great life to live.

I live by the belief that we all have specific gifts that we are born with. Our purpose lies in unearthing these gifts and then using them to the betterment of humanity and Mother Earth. So, while I know I will probably never own those Manolos, I also know that I feel inspired and complete when I connect with purpose and live a life of love and full expression.

The American Recovery and Reconstruction Plan

Everyone is talking about it...Congress has accepted it...and now it's law. Obama's new $787 billion stimulus package has finally been signed, sealed and delivered.

But, it's creating quite a stir from both sides of the House, which really got me to thinking...is this about money or, bottom line, is it really about accountability? Washington Post had a great article today about this very issue. (Check it out.) I'm no economist, but it seems to me that a plan which encourages people to buy new cars and first homes, offering tax credits and deductions as incentives, is a sure-fire way to get people spending...if they have the money. But, what about those who continue to struggle in this fledgling economy? What about folks who have lost their jobs, or even worse their homes? Mortgage help is now available and this new recovery plan has specific measures meant for those who are really struggling. The package allows for unemployment checks to be extended out 20-33 extra weeks, gives specific income groups an extra $25 per week, and more than 3 million jobs are supposed to be emerge.

While this plan sounds great, I am still struggling with accountability. I don't think we, as a nation, can point fingers and blame the entire crisis on past or present administrations. What we need to do is take a hard look at OURSELVES, as INDIVIDUAL consumers. As a nation, we are consumers. We overeat, overwork, oversleep, and OVERSPEND. Money has become virtual - almost an intangible object that is borrowed, traded, and spent using plastic and the Internet. We rarely see it and, as a result, live with the "out of sight, out of mind" mentality. It just seems that when dealing with money as an intangible object, it's a lot easier to get carried away and lose focus of the bigger picture (actually PAYING the credit card bill each month).
I admit, I rarely use cash. And, like most Americans, I could stand to scale back on my spending and beef-up my savings. But, one thing my dad taught me at a very young age was to LIVE WITHIN MY MEANS. This means spend only what I can afford to pay-off. While I do this, I also CONSUME much more than I need to. Maybe we need to revisit bygone eras when recycling was not a fad - it was a necessity. We need to start at the deck-plate level and consider what we, as individuals, can do to lessen the recession, reduce, reuse and recycle. This mantra applies to so much more than garbage. For all of us, this idea of sharing and caring needs to become our way of life.