Awareness and Learning

This week the Providence Entrepreneur group had a Lunch Lab.  I'm a member of the group.  This is a day where there are round table discussions on business topics. This week's topic was websites.
I've found these meetings fruitful.  There's always such good information and perspective from those in this group. 
We meet at the organizer's house.

He has a cute little dog.  I met him another time I went to his house- that time I thought the meeting was that day yet it wasn't.  We sat and talked anyway.  Nice.
When I was leaving, he noted that his dog was rather quiet and calm around me.  I was like "oh huh.  I do have a sensitivity toward animals.  I think they pick that up."

This time it was as if I was having that confirmed.  Dog barked a welcome to everyone , including me as we came in.  At the end a few people left and he barked them out-  a "bye".
I left after those few and by myself.  Dog quietly looked at me.  I stopped and said "goodbye, see you later".  He watched me go, Quietly.

hmmmmm

There's Awareness and Learning.


Like once when I was young I was a little bothered that our neighbor's dog seemed a little uncomfortable when I patted her.  She was mostly a nice dog, but sensitive. My sister happen to point out that maybe I was patting her too lightly.  When I adjusted how I did it she relaxed.


Then there have been times when I have been "spot-on". I've felt odd about this.  Thought "Here we go again. There it is again."
And yet I have come across people that see it and think pretty well of it.

I remember going to the Boston Aquarium on a school field trip.  This was years ago.  My teacher wanted us to visit the tidal pool.  So a few of us went with him.  It was a small exhibit then.
There were snails, mussels, and a horseshoe crab.  I picked up a snail for a short time.  I got to talking about how my sister and I, when visiting the Cape, would explore the breakwaters-  A line of rocks reaching out from the beach.
In between the rocks one could find snails, mussels and tiny fish.  Cool to admire them.
We noted the horseshoe crab.  My teacher asked if anyone wanted to pick it up.  I couldn't resist the opportunity.  I've never picked one up before. I made sure to be gentle and sensitive.  I carefully picked it up and turned it so it was cradled in my hand, shell against my palm. I was able to see the creature under the shell.  It's bony like legs were bent.
I hovered my other hand over it yet didn't touch it.  I just wanted to see some movement. I was rewarded. I admired the living creature within.  So alive and covered in a protective shell. I then placed it gently back in the pool. 
On the ride home the kids were noisy.  Yet it felt like a good trip. 
Teacher was a little annoyed about some of the kids behavior and he expressed it the next day when he talked about the trip.  Then he mentioned one good thing- how I picked up the horseshoe crab. He came over later and told me "That was quite good".  I remember thanking him though I found I couldn't quite look up.  Odd feeling there.  And yet I had had no instruction and did the right thing.

I've been to the Aquarium another time.  They now have a larger tidal pool and beach exhibit and have associates there to answer questions and engage others in exploring the exhibit.  Neat.

Something to it perhaps.


Another significant moment in time was when I was at a horse show one day.  I was checking out the horse show and had my camera with me.  I ended up spending a good amount of time there that day watching each class, and occasionally taking pictures.  I take pictures for my art reference file.  There was a girl and her horse there that were doing pretty well. I found myself watching the pair a bit.
Near the end of the day there was one more class- a jumping class.  I was standing a little off from others watching.  A woman was standing not far from me.  As we watched the pair, the horse slightly tossed it head, yet went ahead. 
The woman asked out loud "I wonder why that horse did that".  There was a surge through me.  I had an answer and I couldn't hold back.  I said - trying to sound casual- "oh, he's probably just tired.  They've been going all day". 
She looked at me. "Oh, do you know them." she asked.  I could feel myself blush, and tried an answer "no, but I've been watching them all day"---yah that's it,sounds good.
"Here I go again" I thought.  I tried not to make eye contact really.
This woman gazed at me for a moment. 
Then said to me "You know something". 
I was like "huh".  I bravely looked at her. 
She said "You know that's a gift". 
I was like " uh, yah".
Since I looked a little unsure she added, "It is a gift". 
I replied to that.  "Yes.  Yet sometimes it's not received so well--odd thing. But yah". 
Her last words "Do cherish it, It's a Gift.

Lately I'm thinking  I should see it as that-is - A gift.


Here' an image I created from that show.  I noticed near the barn a couple of black draft horses in a paddock.  They were nuzzling each other occasionally. I got a picture of it.  Later I created a Pen and Ink drawing of it.