Systems Failure…

In last week’s ezine, I was SO excited to invite you to my brand new Free Class where for the first time, I’ll reveal the H.E.A.R.T. System.  It’s the formula I use to solve problems with animals to get the remarkable results I’m known for, and I want to teach it to you so you can solve problems with your animals too.

People flocked to the website to find out more and to sign up for the class…

…Imagine my horror when I discovered that after the huge amount of time, energy and effort setting this all up and preparing, that folks couldn’t sign up because the optin links weren’t working right!

I’m so sorry, I somehow made an error with the html code.  Oops!!

It took a bit of work to sort out (note to Self: delegate these tasks to someone who’s good at them!), but the problem is fixed now.

Please forgive the goof, and be SURE to Sign Up for the class (see below).

On a different note, Einstein lost his name tag last week while he was having fun excavating and exploring under our deck. And it made me think:

Wouldn’t it be cool if everyone could talk with animals?  When we found a lost animal, we could simply ask them where they live or who their people are…  We could teach them their address and phone numbers like we do our children!

Then when/if they got lost, they could just ask someone to phone home for them. (Maybe that’ll be Einstein’s next trick to learn… how to use a phone!)

For now, I went to Petsmart like other normal doggie parents do, and got him a new name tag. While I was waiting in line, there was a father with his 4 young children and 2 young beagles.

The boy dog, Toby, was barking, lunging, dragging the kids across the floor, and generally being obnoxious to other people and dogs in the store.  He got so excited that when his sister got in his way, he snapped and attacked her!

The children kept petting and stroking and talking to him to try to ‘calm him down’.  Unfortunately, their actions only told Toby that he was doing the right thing and to keep it up.  And his behavior escalated to the point of more serious aggression.

I was witnessing a tragedy in the making.  Toby is learning that his people want him to be aggressive, to bark at strangers and snap.  Later on, he’ll likely become a red zone, dangerous dog… all because of a misunderstanding between him and his humans.  And their mistake may wind up costing Toby his life.

The problem isn’t in their intention… it’s in the system they are using to train him.

Animals want to do a good job… but if the system of training, communication and management isn’t right for them, then things don’t work right.

In Toby’s case, his people are systematically and consistently rewarding the very behavior they don’t want.

All successful animal people have systems.  I want to show you mine, the unique approach I use to get the extraordinary results I get with my clients.

This week on The Real Dr Doolittle Show, we switched it up a bit.  Cathy Rivers of www.bighorsedreams.com interviewed… ME!  We recently met at a Kendall Summerhawk event, and she wanted to know more about my system for solving problems with horses and other animals.  So we recorded our conversation.  Be sure to listen, we had a blast.

Remember, animals are sentient messengers here to help you learn, grow and heal.  You can learn to hear their voices, and when you do, it will change your life.

Much love to you and your furrkids,

Val

“A single conversation across the table with a wise (wo)man is worth more than a month’s supply of books.”-  Chinese Proverb

Get Enough Sleep and Stop Getting Up Early to Work Out!

By Melissa Pharr

Well I’m no sleep doctor, but Dr. Maas, author of Sleep For Success, sure knows his stuff on the topic. I’d like to share him with you today. Below I’ve added a few facts of his and a few of my own. In addition, I’ve attached an interview with Dr. Maas at the bottom of this email that was sent to me by one of my extraordinary clients.

I think one of the key things Dr. Maas tells us is that sleep is, “not a luxury, it’s a necessity.” Think you’re someone who doesn’t need much? Think again. You may believe you’re getting adequate sleep, but it turns out most of us are getting about 1 hour less than we think and the majority of Americans are sleep-deprived.

Here are a couple of things you should know about sleep:

• Adequate sleep allows you to burn excess body fat
• Not enough sleep will make you gain weight
• After 7 hours of sleep (into the 8th hour) your brain makes all kinds of connections that allow your body and mind to function at a higher level during the day
• During your last hours of adequate sleep (again, you must get past the 7th hour) your body begins a natural fat burning session
• According to Dr. Maas, sleep is the best predictor of how long you’re going to live
• Inadequate sleep significantly increases your risk of Cancer, Type II Diabetes, Obesity, and many other degenerative diseases

For all of you noble, early morning exercisers. I’ve said it before, but with this topic, once is never enough. If you’re getting up early to work out, especially if you’re performing high intensity exercise, you’re much better off going back to bed. In addition to the benefits that I’ve already listed above, there are other reasons to play smart when it comes to scheduling your work out at certain times during the day.

During Tip #1, I wrote about exercise as either an added stress OR stress relief. Obviously, we favor the latter. Dr. Maas says in his interview that 12pm or 5pm-7pm is the best time to work out for several reasons. I’d like to highlight an additional incentive that is extremely important… Cortisol and Adrenaline levels are naturally higher in the morning, causing exercise to more easily be an added stress than stress relief. These adrenal levels are lower in the middle of the day and early evening, plus you’re not sacrificing your sleep!

Are you making the same excuse we’ve all hear 100 million times?
“I have too much to do, and I don’t have enough time.” I used to rack my brain miserably for hours just trying to finish a project so I could cross it off my list and feel productive. It was always a short lived feeling of accomplishment, and by that time I usually felt like shit, pardon my language, and had something new on my to do list. The end result of my work was so-so. I’ve found that if I allow myself down time and get adequate sleep, everything I do is higher quality and takes about a quarter of the time. That’s a lot of freed up time. Oh, and the people I’m around like me better, too, so there’s that.  

“I can sleep when I’m dead.” I hope you read the facts above. Sleep is the best predictor of how long you’ll live. It’s up to you. You can live longer and feel alive OR you can live a shorter life and feel like a zombie. 

“I can’t, I sleep poorly and can’t make it through 8 hours.” I feel your pain. Lots of us have had circumstances that keep us from getting good shut eye so I’ve provided you with a few helpful hints below. ANYONE can significantly improve their sleep, except maybe those with an infant, in which case you might try napping when possible. 

What can you do to better your sleep situation?

• Give up TV a half hour to an hour before bed
• Leave your phone alone before bed. Seriously.
• Acknowledge the fact that electronics before bed decrease your chances of falling asleep easily and getting high quality sleep throughout the night
• Stop staying up late. It decreases your natural melatonin levels
• Create a quiet, dark, and cool sleeping environment
• Take a bath before bed
• Don’t eat a ton before bed
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine

So let’s check in! How is your weekly workout schedule going? Are you 2:1-ing it?Remember, I’m happy to coach your through these tips via email so take advantage! We’re already on Tip #2 so let’s get down to business. There’s always enough time for the things that really matter and YOU’RE one of those things. When you take care of yourself your light shines brightest, benefiting not only you, but the rest of the world.

—————————

Melissa Pharr is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Performance Enhancement Specialist, and Corrective Exercise Specialist. She climbed to the top of the ladder as a Professional Trainer and shortly after to an upper level management position before leaving Corporate America. At the age of 25 she begin her own home-based business and decided to test her skills as an entrepreneur. Melissa is the founder and owner of The Ultimate You. Her passion is helping Entrepreneurs and Leaders who lead busy lives and are frustrated with their bodies to find a smarter, not harder way to balance their health.

Top Dog Names

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Benedict

NOTE FROM VAL: Read my article “Do You Know Your Animals True Name” before deciding on your dog’s new name!

Love Yourself Twice as Much

By Scott and Shannon Peck

Most of us are in a routine of beating ourselves down, so the idea of loving yourself twice as much comes as a real shift. Why, you might ask, do you deserve that much love?

First of all, you wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t a loving person. Since you’re attracted to love, we know that you carry a lot of love in your heart. The love you outpour to others deserves to also come home to yourself. You deserve to be richly loved!

Here’s a short video by Shannon:

Since the goal to love yourself twice as much is a choice, let’s consider for a moment, how you could give yourself this quantum self-nurturing in some easy ways. Pick a few from the list below and offer yourself a generous amount of love each day:

• Receive love from others as generously as they give it to you. In other words, don’t reject or shy away from their gifts. Don’t try to stop their love. Let it in.
• Learn to set boundaries. Can you say, “No,” and make it stick?
• Give yourself permission to lovingly speak up in areas you may need to – where you normally stay mute.
• Give yourself a break from chores and take time just for you! No kidding. Just sit by yourself somewhere private and just contemplate. Listen to love.
• Take a look at your inner thoughts, the things you say to yourself about everything that happens to you. What percent of your thoughts are negative? Lift yourself higher by remembering what a wonderful person you are and how hard you try to be good. Give yourself the gift of inner love talk.
• Be more visible with those who don’t judge you.
• See yourself as a masterpiece unfolding. Do you dare? Why not! Michelangelo carved his masterpieces by removing hard marble to reveal his vision. You can too.
• Forgive yourself for every mistake you ever made, no matter how bad it was.

Her’s a short video by Scott:

We hope you’ll begin a new habit of loving yourself twice as much. This is the love you deserve!

“Would you like to learn more simple ways to find and nourish your soulmate? Check out http://scottandshannonpeck.com, for free articles, resources! The Love and Relationship Experts, Scott & Shannon Peck.

Scott & Shannon Peck are love & relationship experts who are passionate about helping you find your soulmate & lasting love.

The Pecks are Love Master teachers, speakers, & co-authors of many books on love and healing, including their best-seller, “The Love You Deserve” as well as “Love Skills for Personal & Global Transformation” & “Liberating Your Magnificence.” Shannon is also the author of “Love Heals: How to Heal Everything with Love” & the “Love Heals Study Guide.”

The Pecks are co-founders of The Love Center, a non-profit educational organization where they have developed & taught many ground-breaking programs to create a world with more love.

The Pecks live in San Diego, California.

Is It Possible To Have Too Much “Togetherness?”

As record heat fries the eastern half of the USA (including where we live) over the past few days, experts warn of the dangers of over-exposure to our bodies. It’s just plain hot.

Even if you aren’t struggling with this heat wave where you live, chances are you’ve taken some kind of vacation with your family or maybe gotten together with family or friends for an extended time together.

If you have ever spent some extended time with more intense interaction than you normally do, there’s also a pretty good chance that with all of this social interaction and “togetherness,” you might feel a bit “over-exposed” to the ones you love.

You might have felt like there was a little too much togetherness and your love (and patience) may have been tested

After a brief vacation together, one family we know found themselves picking arguments with each other that was out of the ordinary for them.

The dad made the comment to us that “We’ve been together a little bit too too long right now.”

What we know is that “over-exposure to the ones we love” feeling, along with the stresses that vacations can bring– heat, dealing with crowds of people, trying to get around in unfamiliar places, erratic eating schedules or rich and unfamiliar food –can certainly play havoc in the best relationships, even if you think you’re doing pretty well.
If you can relate…

Here are some specific ways you might react when you’ve been together a little too long or have “vacation-itis” and some suggestions to “cool” down your and others’ emotions
and reactions…

1. Communication misfires that come up now and then seem to be exaggerated and over-blown.
Carla and her husband Jay rented a kayak when they were vacationing together in the Great Lakes region. Being relatively new to kayaking, they found that they became very irritated with one another as they tried to paddle (sometimes in opposite directions) to their destination.

They couldn’t establish a rhythm that worked for both of them–Carla wanted to paddle slower than Jay and he became anxious when they were out of sync.

On top of that, they each seemed to have their own “plans” for getting where they were going but “forgot” to share them with each other.

Normally, they get along pretty well but it became clear that their usual way of communicating (or not communicating) didn’t work as well when they were in one boat, trying to go in one direction.
And it was a metaphor for what happens in their life together.
Afterwards their kayak experience, Carla discovered that she pushes Jay to be the leader but then does
her own thing when she feels afraid or triggered.

Jay discovered that when he gets irritated with Carla, he becomes superior and sarcastic which only makes the situation and communication worse.
We talk a lot about “magic words” that can make a big difference in your communication and if Carla
or Jay had asked one of our “Magic Words” questions like this…

“How can we make this situation work better?”
…with a completely open heart, their kayak trip might have been more enjoyable.

They could even have some fun with it and imagineall kinds of ways to make their situation better–like sawing the kayak in half or skipping the paddling part and going for a swim from the boat–along with clearly talking about a plan that might help them work together.

As you can clearly see, “Magic Words” and questions like these can truly make a big difference
in the quality of your communication and your love when you use them….

You can tap into our whole list of magic words, phrases and sentence-starters by going here…

http://www.MagicRelationshipWords.com

Another way that too much time together can create a feeling of “overexposure”…
2. Trust and jealousy issues come to the forefront.
If there are any jealousy and trust issues in a relationship, they get triggered big time in the summer when other men and women wear practically nothing.

Pam felt very uncomfortable thinking about going on a vacation with her husband Paul to the Bahamas becauseof all the women in bikinis they would see on the beaches. Normally, they didn’t go many places where she would have to endure having him look at these other women wearing practically nothing–so it wasn’t too much of a problem–except now and then.

But when Pam’s jealousy did erupt, it put a damper on everything–and she certainly didn’t want that to happen on her vacation.

In this situation, we’d recommend that Pam practice noticing her self-talk and the stories she makes up when she gets jealous.

When she identifies her “stories”–like the story that Paul wants to be with the woman in the bikini more than her, she can question whether she knows that’s true or not.

If she’s honest with herself, she’ll admit that she doesn’t know that’s true–and then she can learn to switch her thinking to examples of when he’s shown her that he loves her.

As she changes her focus, she learns to calm her suspicious thoughts and jealousy.
For more practical ways to deal with jealousy, visit http://www.NoMoreJealousy.com/Program

3. If you’re feeling like there’s too much togetherness, you might even begin to wonder why you’re with your partner because the two of you just can’t seem to get along.

Okay, so this is extreme but it might cross your mind in the throes of conflict and when you’ve really had enough of each other. If this happens, take a breath, take a walk by yourself or do something that will break the stale-mate that you can’t seem to get out of.

When you both are in a calmer, more centered place, talk about what you both want and need. And listen to each other.

If your disagreements are deeply-rooted and you need some help getting some resolution, don’t give up on the relationship until you’ve gotten the help of a therapist or coach.

If you want help sorting out your situation in complete privacy, we have a program “Should you stay or should you go?” at http://www.stayorgo.com that can help you.

Over-exposure to each other can be a good thing. It can lead you to discovering some valuable things about each other that will open the door to deepening your love and connection if you’re open to working through the challenges of the moment when you get irritated or overexposed.
So have fun this summer and remember your sun screen.

Passionate Heart Quote of the Week
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant:
if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would
not be so welcome.”
Anne Bradstreet
1612-1672, Poet
Information from http://www.collinspartners.com

Degenerative Myelopathy in Dogs with Wyndi Warren, Real Dr Doolittle Show™

After a forty-year career that led her from counseling and consulting with police departments to landscape design, author Wyndi Warren embarked on an incredible new career in writing. From humble beginnings establishing her roots with showing and training German Shepherds, she offers her voice in the fight against Degenerative Myelopathy (DM).   

Wyndi’s first work, Angel With a Tail, has touched many with an inspiring story of love and determination triumphing through adversity.  Angel With A Tail is a book of funny antics, unlikely friends, and finding hope and joy.  This is the first non-fiction narrative detailing daily life with DM (degenerative myelopathy), the story offers hope and courage for owners of dogs with mobility issues.

Listen and learn:

*  What Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) is

*  What the symptoms of DM are and how you can tell if your dog may have it

*  What you should do if your dog is exhibiting symptoms of DM

*  What inspired Wyndi to write a book about her dog’s life with DM

*  What the single most memorable thing WYn’s dog Sabre taught her, a lesson that we can all use for inspiration to live our best life

Get your autographed copy today of Angel with a Tail and learn more about author, Wyndi Warren at http://www.angelwithatail.com/index.html.

Click here to download…

Activated Oxygen Therapy By Dr. Mark Newkirk

By Dr. Mark Newkirk Family of Veterinarians

Oxygen as you know, is the molecule that makes all life possible. What you may not know is that oxygen, when “activated” turns from the molecule 0-2 (oxygen) to 0-3 (ozone). This 3rd oxygen atom is very special and it does 2 things.

One, it puts “extra” oxygen in diseased, cancerous, inflammed or infected tissue. This increased oxygen greatly boosts the body’s healing power! Oxygen is the molecule from which all cellular energy and thus function and healing is derived. (remember your biology and chemistry classes, the mitochondria and ATP??!! Bet you never thought that would have some meaning for you!!!)

Second, the 3rd oxygen atom negatively affects abnormal cells, (such as cancer) and pathogens such as bacteria, yeast fungus and viruses. It does this by breaking through the outer “wall” that surrounds the abnormal cell or pathogen. NORMAL cells have a way of protecting themselves against this effect, thus normal cells get a boost of oxygen to help them heal, while abnormal cells and pathogens have their “wall” broken and die! Wow, what a therapy! Using oxygen!!

A special machine (which we now have) is required to take medical grade oxygen and activate it. The O – 3 molecule is stable for only short periods of time, which is why it does not occur in nature except in the upper atmosphere. Activated oxygen (ozone) is used in many cities nationwide to purify their water supply instead of chemicals such as chlorine, so its effectiveness is well documented.

So where can we use this? In most any resistant, or degenerative disease process. Cancer, non-antibiotic responsive infections, severe yeast infections of the skin and ears. Arthritis, colitis, or any other inflammatory condition. There are a variety of ways to administer activated oxygen and the number of treatments vary, depending on the condition we’re treating. Ironically, since activated oxygen is not a “recognized” therapy by the “legal powers” of veterinary medicine (neither is chiropractic in animals either by the way!!), a waiver of consent must be signed before we or other veterinarians can do this therapy.

We are very excited about adding this therapy in our quest to help pets who are severely ill or have been given no other chance. I recommend finding a vet in your immediate area that can offer this treatment option if you feel your animal would benefit.

To learn more about Dr. Mark Newkirk, his team and holistic veterinarian care visit http://www.newkirkfamilyveterinarians.com/.

Evolutionizing Dog Training for the 21st Century By Alecia Evans

Before I became a dog trainer, over 17 years ago, I was instructed by a Certified Professional Dog Trainer to use certain training tools on my 16-week-old Lab. Back then, dog training tools were archaic to say the least.

Shock collars, prong collars, nose leads and my “favorite”, the metal choke chain, were guaranteed to choke and hurt the dog if he didn’t do as he was told.

It’s astounding to me now that I went along with the professional without ever questioning the damage I could be doing to my dog’s neck, throat and spine, and the pain I could be inflicting on him. After not-so-successful puppy classes, we used a prong collar (which almost broke my finger when it got stuck in one of the prongs), then tried a nose lead which injured my dog’s neck, requiring the services of a chiropractor who had to put three of his vertebrae back in place.

A Change of Approach

Then I hired another dog trainer who suggested it would be easier to get my dog’s attention and focus by giving him treats as a motivation to learn. I was amazed, but when I used this approach, my dog acted as if he had bionic hearing and somehow began anticipating what I would ask for.

Those training sessions happened years before I ever trained my first dog professionally, but that “out of the box” thinking taught me to look at things very differently from the way most trainers did, and often still do. I took a critical look at traditional dog training tools and begin to wonder how we could train dogs more humanely and effectively.

The theory behind most training is that we teach the dog to listen to our language and then apply tools to change his behavior. But what if it was up to us to learn the dog’s language, and learn how to work with him in a way he understands, without harming him?

In a dog or puppy’s mind, training is about who best controls the energy, but dogs do so in a silent way that we would do well to learn about. I now approach training by teaching dogs how to harness and master their own energy, thereby unleashing their greatest potential.

Harnessing Energy

Almost all traditional dog training tools are designed to control a dog from behind and are placed around the neck. This notion of controlling the dog by the throat has the tendency to disconnect him from his body. If you notice, a dog on a choke chain or prong collar will still pull. When he becomes disconnected from his body, it is much more challenging for him to learn, and the potential for injury increases.

A harness will always be safer for your dog’s neck, throat and spine. It should clip in front at the dog’s chest, thereby putting the focus of his energy in front of him, not behind him. Placing the clip in front of him actually helps the dog connect to and collect his energy more effectively and efficiently. You then have a dog or puppy that is much more able to tune into your own energy and to pay closer attention to you as his leader.

Clipping the leash at the dog’s chest allows you to control him with total respect for his throat and spine, and gives him the ability and awareness to choose to walk into the pressure, or move back from it.

Leash Connections

In addition to a front clip harness, you want a leash that will help you communicate with your dog or pup by providing clear and consistent boundaries that he will understand and respect. Think of it this way: if you tie your dog to a tree, he will know in ten seconds or less how much room he has because the tree will not move. So he backs off from the pressure. Compare this to taking a dog for a walk and it is easy to see how traditional training tools are not assisting you. As long as you move forward, the dog will continue to pull against the pressure because he believes that by doing so, he will eventually break free.

Most leashes provide the dog with no way to know where his boundaries are. A leash that has some type of clear marking on it lets you know how much room to give your dog. That way, the leash and an appropriate harness work together to help you create clear, consistent boundaries for your pooch.

By using the proper training tools, you’ll feel more confidence in your role as a calm and clear leader, and that means the dog is set up for success. After all, what happens on one end of the leash travels down to the other end; a calm human means a calm, aware dog that easily takes direction.

Training Method

A good training method should be: easy, consistent, and effective while teaching you how to teach your dog how to harness their energy to unleash their greatest potential in just minutes without choking them. The method should be developed to work with the humane training tools to teach and support you in educating your dog in a very short time to move off of pressure without any pain and how to walk in sync with you within minutes.

What if it was up to us to learn the dog’s language, and learn how to work with him in a way he understands? Using a harness will help you get connected and communicate more effectively with your dog for much better results without pain or strain.

Alecia Evans has been professionally training dogs and their humans since 2001. Her philosophy is harness your dog’s energy to unleash their greatest potential and your own.

Alecia invented The Walk In Sync™ Humane Dog Walking and Training System as the gold standard of training tools in order to end the choking of dogs during training and walking. Alecia is revolutionizing the dog training world with her exclusive 5 Minute Manners Makeovers using the Walk In Sync™ Harness and Accu-Grip Leash, along with her Walk In Sync™ 3 Easy Steps to teach any human/dog duos to Walk In Sync in just minutes.

As a Holistically minded dog trainer Alecia works with issues ranging from bringing a new puppy home to severe aggression. Alecia’s background as an Animal Wellness Consultant over the last 15 years has been focused on nutritional health and emotional well being utilizing nature’s pharmacy of supplements and natural remedies to address the animal’s root issue and restore balance to their system and behavior.

Find out more at: http://www.valheart.com/walkinsync.html, email Alecia for more information – info@dogwalkinsync.com

If Dr Seuss Met Eckhart Tolle (Oh,The Places Your Ego Will Go!)

Save Our Oceans For Our Children: Babysit Baby Green Sea Turtles On The Beach

By Krista Dunlop, PADI Divemaster (207237) http://www.underwaterodyssey.ca

On Clearwater Beach, Florida, I stroll with my ankles knee deep in water under the glistening stars and listen to the waves rushing up onto me … tugging at me like small children trying to express their emotional pain. Why are you not listening to us? Why are you not hearing our cries?

With my bottle of water, small beach chair, and granola bar in hand, suddenly from out of the darkness through the foaming ocean waves, emerges a huge green sea turtle. Cautiously strolling up high onto the beach, where every year hundreds of green sea turtles climb on shore to dig nests and lay their eggs.

Her shell is glistening in the moon light, and as she moves slowly and with purpose, the female begins to build her nest for her young … a deep hole in the soft white sand, twice as big as herself and about three feet deep. As I lingered back to honour this mystical moment, the mother carefully pushes her egg tube into the hole and out plops eggs like wet ping-pong balls … until about 100 eggs lay clustered.

As her final show of love and protection before departing, she flaps her flippers to cover the eggs with sand to protect them from predators … and leaves her young to fend for themselves. Having finished with her motherly duties, the tired sea turtle slowly crawls back to the ocean, where Mother Nature’s blanket of waves allow her to rest and simply enjoy her ride back into the depths of the ocean in which she came from. As I settle in my beach chair beside the nest, I treasure the mid-night hours staring up at the twinkling stars … and standing guard for these unborn sea turtles.

For the next two months, each evening until the early morning hours I sit beside them under the stars … when one night I finally hear the scratching sound from the nest. It was time … the little turtles have worked as a team, and made their way to the surface of the sand to begin their long journey towards the brightest horizon. As I watch the little ones scurry with enthusiasm towards the ocean, the moment of conflicting emotions sets in for me to have to deal with once again. Ones of happiness for having had the privilege to be part of Mother Nature’s circle of life … and of sadness and guilt, for what seems to be unfairly knowing that the majority of these young turtles will be eaten by sharks and other carnivorous fishes during their long hard journey.

As I stroll back home in the early morning hours I think to myself … yes, maybe I do think Mother Nature can be cruel at times and I don’t understand her reasoning for how and why she does things the way she does.

But, what I do know is … these two months of standing guard over these beautiful little creatures … was one of the most beautiful experiences in my life … and I am proud to have been part of helping at least one little turtle make it through their long journey … and possibly to have helped one female turtle to return one day to this very same spot to lay her eggs and begin Mother Nature’s circle of life once again.

For the Ocean … and our future children

June, 2011.