I had a completely different story planned for this blog.  But something happened yesterday that changed everything…

It seemed like any normal sunny day as I worked in my garden.  The garage door was up so I could grab tools.  I walked in and 2 doves were unexpectedly busy setting up home on the top of my garage door opener.  Startled, they began to frantically fly around.  The male darted out the wide-open door.  The female stayed trapped

I spent more than an hour trying everything I could think of to get her to exit, including removing my car and raising and lowering the garage door multiple times.  The opening was 15’ X 8’!But, doves are not known for their intelligence!  

Strangely, she didn’t seem to want to leave, and wasn’t afraid of me.  Just calmly cautious.  It was almost un-nerving the way she looked at me.  She listened intently as I spoke to her.  Would let me get within a foot of her before flying to another part of the garage…most often on or above the open horizontal garage door.  Meanwhile her mate kept calling for her  

She maintained calm, fearless eye contact with me at all times.  Never blinked.  Finally I got the idea to place my cat on the top of the open garage door so that he would chase her and she wouldn’t have any choice except to exit through the wide-open space below the door

Ari was once a feral barn cat and an exceptional hunter.  I figured if he did catch the bird, I could rescue and free her.  As the dove sat on the garage rigging, Ari wandered around the horizontal door oblivious to her.  He even passed within a foot of her, as though she was invisible.  She didn’t move.  Just calmly looked at him, but kept her focus on me.  It felt like she was trying to will me to read her mind

I encouraged Ari to notice the bird.  He instantly went into stalking mode, then rushed the final 3‘ until she was inches away.  Suddenly he hit the brakes, sat down, and just stared at the bird.  The dove looked calmly back at him, and then at me.  The hair on the back of my neck stood up ... 

I realized this was not an accidentally misplaced bird.  This was something metaphysical, something purposeful, something important.  I called Ari back to me, lifted him off the horizontal door, and decided perhaps the bird was meant to stay with me until I understood her message

I went inside and pondered the meaning of doves … peace.  hmmm  My life is peaceful.  So, nope, that didn’t feel right

A symbol of the Divine Feminine’?  Maybe.  My intended story for this newsletter was that women actually hold the power in this world and we have to take it back in order to save the planet 

Women are literally portals for life.  In every species, creation/birth unfolds though the feminine.  We were never created to serve men.  Males were created to be protectors of the Divine Feminine and her offspring.  Here’s proof:  Intelligence is passed on genetically from mother to offspring.  Everything that a man/animal/plant is originates with its mother’s DNA and her lineage.  Nothing exists without the feminine —no plants, birds, animals, fish or cetaceans.  Feminine IS the God-force. Male energy provides the spark that initiates animation   

So, was this the message this dove was trying to communicate to me?  Or was it a demonstration of animal consciousness?  
A predatory male animal suddenly decides on his own not to kill, and clearly recognizes the sentience in another animal. It seemed relevant, considering I had only just resurrected my website EnlightenedFeelingsforPets two weeks earlier, specifically because I have been seeing a quantum leap in animal sentience over the past year!  

Still unclear, I decided the dove should stay overnight and might be more willing to leave in the AM.  So, I brought my car back into the garage and hit the ‘close button for the door.  Immediately the dove began to fly.  But, for the first time, headed for the ground and toward the exit.  She landed on the threshold, right below the dropping door, inches from freedom and safety.  Then turned and faced me.  

Immediately panicking that she would be crushed, I dashed for the button to stop the door from descending.  But the sensor beat me to it.  The door stopped mid-track, with a loud screech.  Unperturbed, she stood staring at me.  I urged her to leave.  She finally hopped just beyond the door and turned to stare at me again.  The door released and dropped to the floor.  She disappeared from view.

I ran inside and rushed to the front door, wanting to be certain she wasn’t hurt and could still fly.  But she was gone.  

And as I stood there, her message was suddenly crystal clear:  We are always free to choose a different future.  But, even when opportunities present themselves, we stay stuck, paralyzed and unable or unwilling to escape or change our circumstances, even when others try to help us.  The unknown seems more frightening than the known 

As soon as I made the choice for the dove—choosing to keep her trapped-- she chose freedom on her own.  That’s what often happens for us … we resist change until we’re trapped.  And then we struggle with the decision of whether to stay comfortable with what is safe, secure, and familiar, or reach for freedom and the unknown, into a different future that comes with no guaranties or security

The thing is, you might not even realize you are trapped or that you have a choice.  When was the last time you acknowledged the deep ache of your soul’s longing? … When was the last time you felt inspired?

If you can’t even remember the last time you experienced either of these ‘gateway’ feelings to a new life, then it should be a wake-up call for your own lost sense of being alive.  If you have to watch a movie—a fake reality—to feel excited and alive, what does that say about your life?

If I offered you a million dollars or the life you have now … which would you choose?  Your answer reveals just how well you have created the life you truly desire and were meant to have  

I asked myself that very question, because I am at the age where I could or should retire.  It was a tricky question, because I’ve already taken the past 2 years to semi-retire and enjoy life.  And I have really enjoyed having that freedom!  Taking on more work would be hard.     

But, there was no hesitation in my answer … I already have the life of my dreams.   I would want to use the $million to expand Enlightened Feelings to help even more people become happy, fulfilled, and emotionally free,  and to help health practitioners of all genres build thriving successful deeply fulfilling livelihoods, to create jobs such as distributorships, to leave a positive difference in the world as my legacy.  I don’t have to work harder … I just need to share Enlightened Feelings and its bounty

I believe our lives are meant to have purpose and meaning.  That is what creates joy in our lives.  At the end of this journey, there are only 2 questions that will define you ….

Did you love well?
Is someone’s life better because of you?