Happy World Elephant Day!!!

elephant-cards

Today is World Elephant Day! I had meant to have this post up this morning but it looks like I will not have a “normal” schedule until school begins in September.  In honor of World Elephant day I thought I would share a picture of some elephant cards I made earlier this year.  I have had a thing for elephants since I was a child and it just stuck with me.

adoptelephant1This year for my birthday I adopted two elephants (Tarra and Flora from The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. I learned about them after reading, “Leaving Time” by Jodi Picoult. A great book which I will post a review for soon.

adoptelephant2I can go online and see how they are doing. It’s a great program and elephants need our help today more than ever.

elephant_decor1I also began to look around my craft room and noticed I have lots of elephants hanging out in my room. I received these and the next ones as gifts from India.

elephant_decor2If you have time check out these links:

The Atlantic’s post.

IBT’s post regarding poaching.

Have a blessed day my friends!

Belinda

One Little Word (OLW) : Connecting to all Beings

display images to learn more about A Path Appears on PBS

So I’ve mentioned the word that I chose for 2015 was connect. One of the things that I want to bring into my life more fully this year is to connect with my fellow beings here and abroad.

I’ve always felt I have had a blessed life. I have a loving family, good health and a home. But sadness fills me when I get a glimpse of the struggle of many in poverty. I get angry and go through a gamut of emotions and then I don’t act. This year, I want to take the step and take action.

The logical side of me wants to approach this connection first through in depth education so that I can act wisely. I’ve gathered some books on different aspects of need and struggle over time. Now I must push myself further to learn and then act. So my plan is to begin reading them one by one to educate myself so that I can connect fully as one with all beings through service and advocacy. For I believe connecting includes extending myself and helping not just observing. And when I say that it doesn’t mean that I know that we are all beings and that some of us suffer daily. It means that I feel what they feel through true compassion and want for them with all my heart, the things I want for me which is love, peace, shelter, food, respect and opportunity.

One of the books that I’m reading has an amazing husband-and-wife team (Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn) and they have a couple of books published. I only have one of them right now which is called, “Half the Sky” but I just recently found out that they have a three-part movie that’s coming out on PBS on January 26, Feb 2nd and Feb 9th. The name of it is A Path Appears and it is based on the book by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Click here to watch the trailer.

I ask of you my friend to take a few minutes to watch the trailer with a box of tissue and decide if you want to watch that show on the 26 because I understand that feeling of hopelessness that there so much need and struggle and wonder where to begin. Asking how little old me can make a difference. But, the inaction is the problem. Actions big or small makes a difference. Collectively we all can make a difference. No more putting it off. So I begin this journey of connection this year filled with hope and optimism that my actions make a difference. Will you join me?

Belinda

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