My Spiritual Windows

The Love/Loss and Love again of (Canine) Friends  Brenna  Forbes  During the winter of 2006, I lost two dogs I dearly loved. One, a six year old black Pudel Pointer we named Brenna and one, being a St. Bernard/Australian Sheppard mix known as Forbes. Brenna, on December 16, right before Christmas and Forbes on January 17, just as the new-year was being ushered in as 2007. Brenna, being a runner whenever she found the chance, one afternoon broke free while my son was taking her out to be on her tethered run. As a rule, she always ran for about six minutes and returned. On this afternoon, she took her run in the later afternoon as the school busses were dropping off children. Brenna sighted a bus and watched it pass – then ran like lightening and placed her body under the rear wheel of a bus she was losing the pace of catching up to. Essentially, Brenna committed suicide – though as I hope this story will show, it was an act of love for Forbes. For

     http://www.celebratingjohnaustin.com/welcome.html I have been asked who inspired me to create an online website or forum. The person was John Winthrop Austin, webmaster and friend of author James Redfield. In September of 2004, sitting in an office in Chicago I received an email from John, asking to use my beach spirit picture in the monthly web magazine he was doing from James site. I agreed, and from the few conversations I had with John, knew he was a special person. The photo, was used as he had intended, though when the articles did not change the next month, I inquired and found out John had died suddenly in November of 2004. The photo, which was included, was to be in his last set of articles created. The comment made by John in our brief encounter was “where is the website to link for you?” At the time, a website did not exist – what was born from his inquiry is the ongoing use of My Spiritual Windows in cyber. The picture shown on the link taken after his death sho

“Do Unto Others” Yesterday, thousands lined the streets for the motorcade of Spencer Duncan. A young soldier and specialist who was one of thirty who died recently in Afghanistan, brought home and laid to rest. Along the route, the students of his former junior high and high school were allowed to come outside to the curb and hold flags as he passed. I am not sure anyone who did, will be left unaffected in doing so. We are largely a planet of caring people. Although the media spotlights those who are not – they are the minority. Life carries a golden rule or “Do unto others as I would do unto you” simply paraphrased. Our world is filled with those we see in greater need and probably would characterize as being the more in need of special acts. The homeless, the abused and the seemingly lost from being embraced and become those who the stories we hold of helping and sharing seem more noticed. There are also many more that do not fall into this category. People who live alone and r

“Do Unto Others” Yesterday, thousands lined the streets for the motorcade of Spencer Duncan. A young soldier and specialist who was one of thirty who died recently in Afghanistan, brought home and laid to rest. Along the route, the students of his former junior high and high school were allowed to come outside to the curb and hold flags as he passed. I am not sure anyone who did, will be left unaffected in doing so. We are largely a planet of caring people. Although the media spotlights those who are not – they are the minority. Life carries a golden rule or “Do unto others as I would do unto you” simply paraphrased. Our world is filled with those we see in greater need and probably would characterize as being the more in need of special acts. The homeless, the abused and the seemingly lost from being embraced and become those who the stories we hold of helping and sharing seem more noticed. There are also many more that do not fall into this category. People who live alone and

A Prayer Request I work part-time in the retail industry, where employees are far fewer than the customers are and last night a woman approached me and said, “You are a prayer person aren’t you? One of those people that can help other people.” I told her I did pray and had seen the help. She told me of having two children with neurological illnesses, her husband was away from the home – and she could not even find a sitter for the children because of their illnesses. She needed to buy items for school and had to leave them alone in the house, since she could not manage to bring them. This mother was worn out, physically and mentally at the end of a day and seeking assistance. This has happened to me before – where people come with the same request. As a rule, in the past they have been much older and visibly sick themselves. Tonight, along with myself – I am sending out a prayer request for this mother and her children, all in need of healing and peace of mind. I only inte