THIS WEEKS COLUMN ABOUT LIFE, DARKNESS AND LIGHT

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The Darkness is the Light's Way of Preparing us for Something Beautiful

Animals and children are our great teachers of wisdom.

Their wisdom is always spot on, and inspiring.

It was the day before Christmas Eve two years ago; my daughter Olivia broke her femur in a riding accident. Weeks turned into months as Olivia was home alone in her home.

The school did not support her, despite pressure from me. Relatives and friends were far away! It was a hard dark time, with pain and tears.

"Mom, it hurts to live! "Olivia said one morning.

As mom it made extremely painful to hear those words. We talked about that after the darkness comes the light, and not to try to lose hope.

One day asked Olivia me to drive her to the stable where the accident had occurred. She went to the big beautiful horse. ' "It was not your fault and I do still love you!"

The place where the accident had happened sat deep within her, like a vicious thorn in the heart.

We decided to search for a new riding school. We found one that was not far from our home. There was a beautiful sand-colored (palomino)  pony named Sunshine. Olivia and he hit it off immediately. Never before had I seen a horse and rider become so attached to each other that quickly.

I looked up to the Universe and smiled.

"Mom, do you remember the day when we talked about never losing our hope when it feels dark. Not to see an accident as only something negative. " said Olivia

I recalled a message from a street dog that reminded of what Olivia said.

To my luck, I found my notes from the time I met the homeless dog.

Most people are afraid of pain, but they also fear facing their fellow beings pain. They many times flee and judge it to maybe, it can be a drama they do not want to be involved in. A person's pain is not only his or her lesson; it is everyone's lesson. It shows if you are judgmental and walks away, or if you are the one who helps. A lesson is not only negative, but if the fear comes in, it will become negative.

That's Amore!

Mörkret är Ljusets sätt att förbereda oss för något vackert

Djur och barn är fantastiska lärare. Deras visdom är alltid klockren och inspirerande.

Det var dagarna innan julafton för snart två år sedan som min dotter Olivia bröt lårbenet i en ridolycka. Veckor blev till månader som Olivia tvingades ligga ensam i sitt hem.

Skolan stöttade inte henne trots påtryckningar från mig. Släkt och vänner fanns långt borta! Det var en svår mörk tid, med smärta och tårar.

”Mamma, det gör ont att leva! ” sa Olivia en morgon.

Som mamma gjorde det oerhört ont att höra de orden. Vi pratade om att efter mörkret kommer ljuset, om att försöka att inte förlora hoppet.

En dag bad Olivia mig köra henne till stallet där olyckan hade inträffat. Hon gick fram till den stora vackra hästen. ’”Fina du, det var inte ditt fel och jag älskar dig fortfarande!” sa hon.

Platsen för olyckan hade satt djupa spår inom henne, som en ond tagg i hjärtat.

Vi bestämde oss för att söka efter en ny ridskola. Vi hittade en som inte låg långt ifrån vårt hem. Där fanns en vacker sandfärgad ponny vid namn Sunshine. Olivia och han fann varandra direkt. Aldrig förr hade jag sett ett ekipage vara så sammansvetsade som de två.

Jag tittade upp mot Universum och log. 

”Mamma kommer du ihåg den dagen då vi pratade om att aldrig förlora hoppet när det känns mörkt. Att inte se en olycka endast som något negativt.” sa Olivia

Jag mindes ett budskap från en gatuhund som påminde om vad Olivia sagt.

Till min lycka hittade jag noteringarna från den hemlösa hunden.

De flesta människor är rädda för smärtan, men ni är även rädda inför era medmänniskors smärta. Ni flyr undan många gånger och dömer det till att det kan vara ett drama ni inte vill bli involverade i. En människas smärta är inte endast deras lärdom, det är allas lärdom. Det visar om ni är fördömande och ryggar, eller om ni är den som hjälper. En lärdom är inte endast negativ, men om rädslan träder in, blir den till negativ.

Med dessa ord vill jag, Olivia, Max, vår Sunshine passa på att önska er underbara läsare en riktigt God jul och ett Magiskt 2017.

That’s Amore!

I AM A WARRIOR

Ones I was a victim, 

after hard work I turned around to become a survivor.

Now, I am a Warrior.

Photo credit, from Naras Kryssning 2015

Every child should feel safe in their home(s) 

Alla barn måste fa kanna sig säkra i sina hem! 

SPIRITUAL FEATHER

After the fire the feathers that I had received every day were gone. I thought to myself,  perhaps my Guardian Angels took a break after rescuing my home, and 12 dogs.

Three weeks from no feathers, until last Sunday when I climbed out of my car. It was pitch-black, but I saw it immediately between my feet. There, the gorgeous feather laid.

I have faith in Life and Universe.

That's Amore

Alaska a Beautiful Place

It was a long flight but we finally made it to Alaska. What an amazing place, we definitely want to go back and do some more hiking. The air was light to breath, the daylight was amazing until midnight, the nature was fantastic. We were invited to a wedding that I wouldn't miss for the world. A very special woman that I met for the first time in North Carolina 2004 together with her family.

I was so amazed that my children got to met her, this sparkling warm hearted woman.

Of course I got Happy Tears during the ceremony. I couldn't help thinking how fast time really goes and that we don't know anything about life--future. Only to dream big and have Faith.

Thank you beautiful Ashley for having me watching your big day, together with your lovely husband Mr. Castro (did I mention I went to Sarajevo?)

Broken Souls has Strong Healing Ability to other Broken Souls

One family wanted to adopt a dog from my organization. The family was immediately very open about what their family situation looked like.

I was extremely grateful for their openness, it meant that I could quickly find a dog that matched their energies. A few months earlier, their daughter had tried to commit suicide. Now the family felt that a dog could help their daughter to "heal", of course, along with their doctors and therapists. But, they reasoned, to have a four-legged friend who slept with her, agreed on walks, someone to confide in, and was there full of love, would be beneficial for her. Also, the demand for routines upon their daughter if she was responsible for a dog would additionally help to ground her and help her to heal.

Of course the whole family wanted a new family member, the time was right for all. There were many cute big dogs with a high-energy factor, but I had an overweight little brown female dog who had spent two years in a cage down in south Italy.

A dog with high energy to a home that are working so hard to heal, would not be good --- its high energies could activate and add more stress for the the family and situation. The family needed a cool dog who knew what she wanted, loved life (and food) and to only wanted belong to a family.

When Iris arrived to the family, she chose right away the daughter's bedroom to become her bedroom as well.  Is it that a "broken" soul recognizes another's "broken" soul?

The dog Iris also had a claim to the daughter, “I'm there for you, but you also need to stay alive and be there for me."

When the daughter woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, Iris sat up in her basket and waited calmly until she came back.

Every day I received updates from the family about how much they all loved Iris.

"Mia, we never dreamed that our daughter would feel as good as she does after only four months after our beloved dog's arrival. "Iris therapy" really worked 100%. Best dog Ever!”

This business of "Rescue Dogs" really has a double meaning and paradox: is it we who save them, or is it they who will save us? Who really saves whom?

They ended their email: “We just got the dog we wanted, quiet, contact seeking, loving and ‘personal and wacky’ in a wonderful way. Greetings, family Iris "

When we see each other's inside strength and beauty, discounting the outside of temporary weakness, then we can help and be helped. This is what is called unconditional perfection in the circle of life. About everyone's right to live, love and seek happiness!

That's Amore!

The Iris family gave me permission to publish their story

Trasiga själar hjälper varandra till läkning

En familj ville gärna adoptera en hund av mig. Familjen var med en gång väldigt öppna med hur deras familjeförhållande såg ut. Jag var oerhört tacksam över deras öppenhet, det gör att jag snabbare kunde finna en hund som matchade deras energier. 

Ett par månader tidigare hade deras dotter försökt begå självmord. Nu kände familjen att en hund skulle kunna hjälpa deras dotter till att ”läkas”, naturligtvis tillsammans med andra läkare och samtalsterapeuter.

Att ha en vän som sov tillsammans med henne, gick med på skogspromenader, någon att kunna anförtro sig till och som fanns där full av kärlek. Dessutom ställdes det krav på dottern, att hon också skulle finnas där med rutiner som infaller när man skaffar en hund.

Naturligtvis var hela familjen med på att ha en ny familjemedlem, tiden var mogen för alla. Där fanns många gulliga stora hundar med hög energifaktor, men jag hade en överviktig liten brun hundflicka som suttit två år i en bur nere i Italien.

En hund med hög energi till ett hem som arbetar med att läkas, ska inte ha höga energier som kan aktivera och tillföra mera stress. Familjen behövde en cool tik som visste vad hon ville, älskade livet (och mat) och att få tillhöra en familj.

När Iris anlände till familjen valde hon med en gång dotterns sovrum till sitt sovrum. Är det så att en ”trasig” själ känner igen en annans ”trasig” själ?

Men hunden Iris hade också ett krav till dottern: Jag finns där för dig, men du måste också stanna kvar i livet och finnas där för mig.

När dottern vaknade mitt i natten för att gå upp till badrummet satte sig Iris upp i sin korg och väntade lugnt tills hon kom tillbaka.  Varje dag fick jag uppdateringar med hur mycket de alla älskade Iris.

”Mia, vi kunde aldrig drömma om att vår dotter skulle må så bra som hon nu gör redan efter fyra månader efter vår älskade hunds ankomst. ”Iris-terapin” funkade verkligen till 100 %. Bästa hunden!
Det här med ”Rescuedogs”, får verkligen en dubbel innebörd: Är det vi som räddar dem, eller är det de som räddar oss? Vem räddar vem egentligen?Vi fick precis den hunden vi ville ha, lugn, kontaktsökande, kärleksfull samt ´personlig och knäpp´ på ett underbart sätt. Hälsningar Familjen Iris”

När vi ser varandras innersta styrka utanpå den temporära svagheten, kan vi hjälpa dem och de hjälper oss. Detta är vad som kallas villkorslös fullkomlighet, i livets cirkel. För allas rätt att leva!

That’s Amore!
Mia Mattsson-Mercer

Mia har fått godkännande av familjen att publicera deras historia. 

Little Sully Update

My husband made some fliers last Friday that Sully needed a loving, good permanent home. Nervous I was that we wouldn't find any person for Sully since it is very hard to adopt away dogs here. Many families already have a dog or two, and then, the competition is brutally hard here since hundred thousands of stray dogs are roaming around, and shelters are over-filled with poor souls. That is were AWL comes in, we medicate and make them healthier on the street, here are many people that are feeding the strays but cannot afford medicine.

My husband said, "Mia, just have faith!"

I realized I had lost my faith. It is so easy to lose faith when working with rough cases, they are living, feeling souls.

I went home and meditated, told myself several times, "have faith".

In the afternoon the phone rang. A couple (US) asked if Sully still was looking for a home?

I held my breath for a moment.."yes" I whispered.

Saturday, we went out to LegaProAnimale were she is in quarantine-- since she is full of worms.

I put a new pink collar --that Ylva had donated-- on her and to our delight, she had gained a little weight, too.

Next week she will be going home to Fred and his wife for one week of relaxation and love, then its time to vaccinate and sterilize her.

Later on when I came home there was another email from a person that also wanted to adopt Sully.

My heart was so warm, and I really have to work more on getting my faith back.

I learned a lot from Sully and my husband, this was my lesson. The school of Universe is outside yourself where ever you are, it is about listening with all your senses. When closing up, you won't hear anything and your spiritual growing will always be on stand-by.