The Joy of Being an Elephant (Even When Not In The Wild) 🐘🌾🍃🌿☀️🎶

Never forget to dance along to the beat of life, I mean look at this elephant. This magnificent creature is massive and It's been around so much longer than any of us and is built to destroy things many times our size. It's natural tusks are so valuable that they have put the elephant on the endangered species list and threatens to keep them there until they simply cease to exist. I don't know how the LA Zoo aquires and conserves animals but I know that these people and handlers can be trusted. These elephants needed a home and found one here, where they are well taken care of and don't have to worry about poachers or drought or predators. This Establishment has the backing of many very influential and honorable people. I could go on and on, but the point is that while the Zoo is not the ideal spot for the elephants to live it is the best and safest place for them to be right now and at least while they are here we can make sure that they are taken care of in the best manner possible so as to make them happy and make their life most like how it would be if they were home in the wild.

Being here allows them to safely and peacefully live their lives and to be happy as well. Human beings aren't the only living creatures capable of happiness and Joy. All living creatures are capable of love and joy to some form or extent. Look at this beautiful elephant, those amazingly rare and deadly tusks. Yet such a gentle demeanor from an animal not threatened by poachers or rifles. Granted they are still wild animals, but by being rescued we domesticate them to an extant (the least amount as possible) in order to help them acclimate and ultimately survive. They don't get all the same things they would if they were outside the zoo, but they get the extra benefits over the risks. I don't know if this elephant was bred, captured or rescued or whether or not he has ever even seen the wild, but I do know one thing - he doesn't care right now. He is enjoying being alive. Human beings must have invented stress and worry for ourselves because it serves no point except to sabotage our own lives; animals don't seem to be stressing about what their lives will be like in ten years. They live in the here and now because they have to. While we can't necessarily live life without thinking of the future at all we have quite a bit we can learn. This guy floored me, mesmerized me. I couldn't look away and the whole time I was grinning, smiling and laughing along with everyone else there. I was already complaining about odd things throughout the day and look at this elephant here who had more to complain about than me and he was saying screw it, let's make the best of it. It almost made me feel like a fool. 

At this certain point there were about twenty or so people gathered looking out over a meter-high barrier standing between the elephant enclosure and the outside zoo. The elephant seemed to know he had an audience because, as you can see in the video, he looks over many times smiling and keeps going as if to play. In the warm springtime sun he seems to dance to his own tune and rhythm, in sync with whatever is running through his head. He keeps cool by backing into the water from the waterfall and plays around once more by climbing the hill to dance around some more and wave with a smile to his adoring bystanders. It was one of those moments in the zoo when you completely forget about time and everything else and get lost in the sheer Joy of witnessing anther animal not only find its Joy but share it with others. Joy truly is all around us. We have to constantly remind ourselves to be like Mr. Elephant and simply blow off the sand and dirt of troubles and dance away the stiffness and ache of life. Live in the present moment and enjoy what is going on right now, even when your situation is less than ideal work with what you have and make the best of it. You will never get another today again; a tomorrow maybe, but we don't know about that either. Since we can't be sure lets make sure to focus on finding those things of Joy in our life and truly enjoying them once we find them. Once we do that sharing becomes an easy next step as it pretty much happens on its own as you become a becon outward of your own Joy. So play in the dirt and the water, get messy and have fun - sing and dance like there's no tomorrow, because today is all we are guaranteed. 

Calling To You - Don't Let It Fall On Deaf Ears

The other day we were walking through the LA Zoo & I came across this African-beaded bracelet. I don't know why but for some reason I just love wandering through shops, all kinds and all over. The Zoo is no exception, no matter how many times we go and continue to go with our new season pass I will always wander all the different shops and stores all around the park. I love seeing all the different stuff and just watching, observing and checking things out. There are always those things too that you find when you are out living life on your adventures that just speak to you. Not in that cliche kind of way but in the way that you see something and it's just like a click or a pop. Like something sliding into place. A key into a keyhole, literally and metaphorically. Keys in life are abundant, they are metaphorical and metaphysical as well as real and tangible and purposeful. I could go on and on about keys forever and their meaning, use and symbolism but right now the kind of key I want to focus on is the kind that you don't use to open doors but to keep yourself open throughout the everyday ups and downs that life brings your way. Maybe it's me, maybe I am crazy, but there are certain things in life that just fall into your path - things. It borders on materialistic, but it's not. It's not about owning or having something or yearning or holding on to something. It's about finding things that bring your Joy and strength and using those things to bring your life the boost it sometimes needs to keep going. For example, ever since somewhere around high school I have had this thing with having some kind of pendant around my neck. Something I never take off, occasionally for a shower but nothing else. It is always something that I find of pick out and that has meaning to me, never anything cheesy - always something respectable, fashionable or trendy. The point is that each one means something to me and always having it on, for some reason, gives me strength and makes me feel like I have it in me to keep going when I get frustrated and want to just give up and quit. It is a part of me, a part of my identity - and it means the world to me. One was a metal beach pendant with a shell from Hollister, one was a meteorite in silver while the one I am currently wearing is a Sterling Silver fishhook with a nice J-shape that has golden thread on top and a pearl I hand-picked from an Oyster in its hook. That hook reminds me of the water which brings me peace and the pearl comes from the water itself. It is my birthstone and it is the only living stone which makes it the coolest thing ever and each one different and unique. This necklace means a lot to me and when I see it in the mirror it brings up certain emotions and feelings. A positive reinforcement tool. These things though, they are presented to us by the Universe, they are not left up to our own devices of choosing. 

It can be anything anywhere, from a thrift store to a park seasonal outpost, or an old used bookstore or in the mall you love going to all the time. Take a moment to look, take a moment to feel and open yourself so that you will recognize those things when they speak to you.

We all have our things, my brother has his X-Box and I know it means the world to him in so many different ways. My Dad has his one of his US Military Dog Tags on his keychain still, which is one of my favorite things about him. Maybe checking out at the gas station you see a silly little toy that just makes you laugh or  at the grocery store you see a character from one of your favorite kids movies on a nerdy glass or plate that just makes you grin from ear to ear. Maybe it's a copy of a certain old edition book you find in an antique bookstore, a book you read as a child in middle school and never thought you would read ever again. Or that same book signed by the author. Or a jellyfish frozen in glass from your honeymoon visit to the Shark Reef in Vegas. Whatever it is it doesn't matter, what matters is that it brings you Joy in some way. It allows you to live life the way it is meant to be, in the present. It is up to you when to move on from an object to another, sometimes letting go is really really hard (especially if we really like the item we are trying to let go of) but we have to bear in mind that change and growth require sacrifice and pain sometimes in order to get us to a better place. Your token may not be your token in ten years or so, but will you and your Joy still be the same after that same time? No - and that's ok too. The key thing to remember is that Joy comes from the world around and within us, and the things out in that world speak to us as individuals and call to us in order to help strengthen and guide us on our quest to freedom. We must keep ourselves open to what the Universe is sending our way or we will miss all the true gifts that we are meant to receive. 

This green bracelet of African-beads came from the LA Zoo, I saw it while I was purusing the other day. I saw it out of the corner of my eye and had to do a double take. I had felt something, that spark - that knowing. That's when you get a little bit of that extra pep and quickness in your step in the store trying to make your way over to what piqued your curiosity. You know it has to be real when you get that feeling of hoping against all odds that other people don't get them all before you get there because if they are out you are going to have to explain to your inner self that little feeling of letdown. 

Those little things are the things that make us who we are, make us us. I saw that bracelet and I saw a million things at once, I saw the Africa that my parents brought back from their trip & safari when I was a kid and the fascination that grew throughout my childhood and I saw the beaded bracelet my parents had brought me back. It is too small now, but still priceless to me. My husband got me these beads, I could have gotten the more expensive band but for some reason I just felt right deep down about this one and when I hesitated and tried to change my mind it felt wrong. It is really Earthy to me with the colors, the Earth-Green is really calming and peaceful and it makes me feel balanced and centered - just like my tattoo. It reminds me of my parents and my family and growing up, it reminds me of my loving husband and his amazing generosity and it reminds me that I am Joyful and that that is all I really need to know. Remember to keep yourself open and don't be deaf to the world around you. It is constantly sending you messages and gifts and tools, but if you close yourself off then you will never reap the rewards or benefits of it's treasures. Use the tools you are given, spend the extra 10$ on that little souvenir on the counter that you want. Take it home and put it on your desk, or next to your coffee machine. Put it somewhere where it makes you smile. Do it for you - for no one else other than you. Then share it, not for you - but for the world. Here's my challenge - find something that speaks to you and get it. Keep it somewhere closeby. Maybe it's the tiny carved stone turtle or the leather journal or the baseball mitt or even the dancing hula man for your dashboard from the 99-cents store. Pick it up and let it make you Joyful, then you can do the same for others. 

Love is Special, All Kinds of Love - PART II

The other day I reflected on love and the power it has to drive and motivate us. It is all around us and embedded in every action and intention. Love takes varying forms, shapes and sizes but always has one thing in common - when you love someone you think about them and their needs before your own. Love for your best friend won't be the same as the love for your husband, but they are both evolving and organic forms of love and compassion. When we interact with others we have the opportunity to pass that love along and spread joy through a chain reaction started by one simple act. The chain reactions we cause are infinite, but it is up to us whether we cause a positive or negative reaction. Whether they help or harm the world around us. Most of the time not acting causes just as much of a reaction. Just another reason to make a decision now, because in the end it won't be up to you. 
When you think of all the interactions you have throughout the day it becomes overwhelming. So many changes in the world, however minute. We find joy through the positive interactions. This means that other people can influence whether or not we are placed in joyful or potentially disheartening situations. As well though we must face responsibility. We are in control of most of our lives and decisions which means that with practice we should be able to make at least most of our lives joyful. By practicing small routines or carrying little tokens we can remind ourselves of the things that give us joy so that when we are faced with another decision there will be that positive energy behind you. What's even better than creating a life of joy for yourself is to be with someone who helps keep you up as well as encourages you to focus on the things you hold dear. That is where all those different forms of love come into play. The bonds that tie us together in order to lift us up. When we find these we must hold on to them for dear life because they are the bonds that keep us floating in deep waters. 
A token can be anything that brings a joyful memory back, anything that represents love. These tokens can be much stronger than you think and give a lot more strength than you can imagine to the carrier. When I first met my partner I was with someone else and slowly but suddenly fell for him and wanted nothing more than to be whisked away by a real life prince. He slowed things down though. First we were friends, then when it happened a few months later it was something more. After that I left my ex and we started our real relationship. For a long while he wasn't even my boyfriend, not until he felt like it was the right time. Eventually we became partners and hopefully someday soon I will get the pleasure of calling him my husband. At the time it drove me crazy how slow he wanted to go but in the end I now thank  him for making it meaningful, special and lasting. By building our friendship first we built the foundation that has kept us not only together but strong together. That gift is invaluable. Anyway, I remember the first night we met and the feelings I had when he left to go home. I remember the next  night too, because we had to see each other again the very next day. After he came to pick me up and we went out to his car he gave me this little silver box. He told me that when he met me yesterday it reminded him of me. It's a beautiful metal box that will last forever, well almost. Better than being a gift from someone I already knew I liked, I love small boxes and things like that to store things in. Silly, but it's me. I of course still have it next to the bed and keep only the most special of things in it. Every time I look at it or open it up I think of him and I remember that feeling sitting in the car when he first gave it to me. After a few weeks he gave me a sterling silver two piece puzzle ring that read "Only Love You" on the outside and when you lifted it apart, "Stay With Me" on the inside. It was also a pinky ring, we each had one on our pinky. It was a pinky ring for a pinky promise he told me. You better bet I still have that ring in a very safe place, I'm pretty sure the silver box. But things like that are the things that really have meaning and can help us stay strong and courageous through times of darkness. 
At the Natural History Museum last night I found a blue woven friendship bracelet that was misplaced. I looked through the whole store trying to find another so I could get two. I never found another and forgot about it after a few minutes. I did sneak and buy two little stone hearts and two color banded bracelets, each with a metal infinity sign. Small, not so expensive, gifts that once given increase their value exponentially. Today, away on his trip, he took the blue heart, blue is my favorite color, and his green infinity band. I wore my blue infinity band and carried my little red stone heart today. It's been nice to have something small and smooth to play with in my hand when I get nervous or anxious. My infinity bracelet never comes off, just as infinity never ends. When we got back into the car to drive home after the museum last night he handed me the map and brochures after we got into the truck. I was about to toss them in the back when he told me to stop, that it was for me. Slowly I opened the booklet and out fell the blue friendship band. On the card it said that this lucky bracelet must have a wished placed upon it as the giver ties it to their friends wrist. As time passes and the bracelet wears, it will fall off and according to legend that wish made will come true. After we got home he tied it on my wrist, and it isn't coming off as to keep true to the tradition of the friendship bracelet. I won't say what I wished, but it was something big and important to me. That's why this bracelet means so much to me. It's why I keep it on and why it gives me strength and joy. Little things can mean a lot, big things can mean a lot. Obviously the meaning comes from the significance it has to you. Don't be afraid to feel, we are humans and we were made with human logic and human emotion. Keep tokens you encounter in life, find some and make them tokens. Give something value and meaning so that it may return the favor to you. Love comes in all shapes and forms as does hope and inspiration. If you feel hopeless then look at the love and loved ones around you and draw from them. If you are blinded by situation and feel lost, look inward and make your own tokens from which to draw strength. You have the power and tools and potential inside yourself, all you have to do is draw on it in your time of need. I challenge you, take some time and find a new small token to carry that will help inspire you and encourage you to do the right thing. You can pick anything, it's all up to you. It's all about you. 

Smurfs in the Garden

It's the little things guys, I'm tellin ya. A while back I found these two little blue guys at the 99 cent store in the garden and toy sections. After a moments hesitation I grabbed them and when I got home found the perfect spot - the flower pots. I mean they are smurfs after all. Whenever I go outside or go to water the plants I see our two blue gardeners. I love the smile I always get because it's so sincere and unexpected. Being silly and having fun is part of life. It helps us to focus on those positive things from which we draw our joy. Be joyful! Be silly! Have fun! What silly things do you do to remind yourself to smile and laugh throughout the day? What little tokens bring you joy?