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Love Is All There Is…

February 13, 2012 By Atticus 19 Comments

Well, it looks like on Earth folks are getting ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day — the day when peeps are hyper-focused on love.  Did you know that dogs Are love?  Truly, we are bundles of furry love overflowing!

showing mama some love a few years ago... I miss being able to kiss her!

For us precious pooches every act, every breath is running through a filter of love.  You know all that fur that some dogs shed?  Think of it as furry fairy-dust, sprinkling love all over your house!  I bet you have a different perspective about your shedding pet now, don’t you?

John and Paul said “love is all there is” and they were right.  One of the marvels of my transition has been to commune with others who have left the earthly plain.  And, I must say, that I never thought I’d have the chance to witness John Lennon compose angelic love songs, but I have.  If you thought his compositions were grand down there, you should hear what he’s come up with since his passing!

Love is a snuggle.   Love is what I feel every time my tail wags (which is constant).  Love is the happiness you feel when a friend succeeds. Love is food.  Love is in sunshine and rain clouds and every blade of grass your puppy relieves himself on.

Timmy Elijah Love loves his brother Wilbur

Love is romantic.  Love is ever-lasting.  Love is your pack of friends.  Love is in your paycheck.  Love vibrates through the music you adore.  Love is your neighbor and even your enemy.

Love is Everywhere!

Love is waiting for you at the pet adoption center near you!

If you are considering adding a much shorter member to your family, there’s no day like love day to make

Adopt a furry bundle of love at your local shelter!

your move.  A furry bundle of joy is waiting for you — waiting to share his abundant love with you every moment.

Even though I’m no longer with mama physically, she feels my love constantly as I feel her love reaching up to me.

Open your hearts to the love that surrounds you, peeps!  I love all of my FOA’s and hope you feel that in the deepest part of yourself.

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?  How do you define love?

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Puppy Love! It’s Contagious!

February 9, 2012 By Atticus 24 Comments

I must tell you what a treat it is for me to observe little Timmy Elijah from up here and all he is adding to my family.  In the period after my transition mama, Wilbur and Bella were very sad and had no wag. Bringing Timmy E into our lives has brought back a spring in their steps and warmth in their hearts.

I’ve been taking notes, and these are my initial observations:

Happy, energetic puppy!

  • Timmy is so flexible and limber… ah, youth!  He runs and slips and trips and tumbles, all with a wag and a puppy smile.  Actually, “run” is not the best description.  He bounces and pounces like a bunny.
  • Like moi, Timmy is food-obsessed.  Not a great quality, but typical for our breed.
  • Timmy is a natural fetcher.  He loves to chase the ball and he actually brings it back to mama for another round…again & again.  He’s such a sweet pup that he often presents the ball to Wilbur, dropping it in front of him.  Timmy’s a natural born giver.
  • I’ve always been an extroverted chap, happy to meet and greet anyone.  Timmy, on the other paw, is a bit shy around new people and practically attaches himself to mama’s leg.  I think it’s cute and charming.  Mama’s friend Karin calls Timmy “velcro dog”.
  • Although a bit reserved when making introductions, Timmy is fearless.  He will push a door open

    Fearless Fido!

    without knowing what’s on the other side (something Wilbur won’t do).  He climbs and jumps with confidence.  Grandma’s backyard has huge granite outcrops and all of us pups love to climb on the biggest one and play king of the mountain.  Never have I witnessed a dog leap off the boulder until Timmy.  Instead of cautiously walking down the rock like a billy goat, Timmy took a running leap and landed in a bush!  Remarkably, mama had her finger poised on her camera to document this feat.

  • Timmy is a love-bug… a snuggler extraordinaire, you might say.  He loves sitting on mama’s lap, laying next to her using her as a pillow and sleeping with a paw draped over Wilbur.
  • Timmy’s puppy energy, curiosity, love and zest for life are contagious and my family is feeling joyous and inspired again.

Puppy love… it really is one of the sweetest love affairs any creature can experience.

I want to hear about your puppy stories.  Tell me what your dog was like as a youngster.  Or your cat (I never discriminate!).  See you around the water bowl, friends.

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The Shocking Truth About Angels

February 5, 2012 By Atticus 12 Comments

I visit mama everyday and she’s feels it.  And I’m not just talking about how my soulful presence surrounds her with warmth and love, but really feeling me.

What's that? Something just zapped me!

You see, young Timmy channels some of my spiritual energy in a shocking manner.  Nearly every time mama touches Timmy they both feel an electric shock.  Some peeps would overlook this phenomenon as simply static electricity…but it’s not.

What they are physically experiencing is my energy…my electrical current touching them tangibly.  Timmy is perplexed when I do this and he frantically looks around for the source.  Mama clearly understands and with each charged jolt, she smiles wider.

We’re all made up of energy, right?  And just because I’m not on earth any longer doesn’t mean my energy has vanished.

I refrain from interjecting my energy when mama and Timmy are enjoying relaxing petting time.  Of course, I’d love to be in the middle of that love-fest but I understand that they need some special bonding without my intervention.  And this takes a bit of serious restraint on my part.

I’ve been cavorting with other furry angels and each has a special way of communicating with their earth-bound family.  Unfortunately, yet understandably, some folks are too deep in their grief to recognize the signs from their transitioned loved ones.  I encourage all souls to be open to messages of love from all realms…to look beyond their pain and open their hearts to the unseen.

No one escapes the loss of a loved one.  It’s part of the cycle of love — if we open ourselves, we are vulnerable to feelings of loss and sadness.  But the alternative is the only truly dead state.

FOA’s, I’d love to hear how you experience your transitioned loved ones.  Are you open to their guidance, support and love?  Do you have fear of opening our heart again to a soul who is physically gone?

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Receiving Gracefully…Giving Fully

January 26, 2012 By Atticus 14 Comments

In my time on earth, I taught mama many important lessons.  I was on a mission, you see — an earthbound angel assignment, you might say.

Giving from the heart is an attribute that mama has held since she was a little person and she didn’t need guidance from me on that point.  I was just the happy recipient of her bountiful love and gifts, but she was lacking in how to receive graciously.  Sure, she was able to receive my sloppy kisses and my abundant joy, but in the more traditional sense, mama has not been good at receiving.

Baby Timmy Elijah and Wilbur receiving mama's love

I know I’ve talked about this in previous posts and I think it’s a topic that needs to be revisited.  Mama has been forced to face this deficiency in herself this year, and this was my final gift and lesson to her.

When I was ill this summer and had emergency surgery, FOA’s started sending cards and checks to help with my medical bills.  Our friends at SacPaws even reached out to find specialists and experts for my care.  I felt fine receiving support and love in it’s various forms, but mama was reluctant and unsure how to act.

I was able to coach her along and remind her how good it feels to give freely and that she cannot deny others that same glorious feeling.  The universe has properties that are set in stone, and one of those properties is to continue putting situations before us until we finally learn the lesson.

And since mama had not been fully educated on the art of receiving, the universe (and her furry angel) continued to throw circumstances and people her way to challenge her growth.  After my transition, the support coming mama’s way was a tidal wave of love that could not be ignored and, I’m happy to say, she’s starting to get it.  Did she have a choice?

Lisa sharing her laughter & love

Our dear FOA and close confidant of mama, Lisa Maslack, has taken giving to a whole new level through my issues.  Lisa has been a great friend — one of those people who always listens with her heart and laughs with a snort.  These past weeks, she has demonstrated her support and love for us with big, swooping gestures.

Lisa started a donation site to help with my medical bills.  As you know, mama insisted the doctors go to every length to try to keep me here on earth, and the expenses grew quickly.  When all was said and done, mama had incurred almost $13,000 in vet debt and Lisa, being a friend of action, was compelled to do something.

And, had it not been for Lisa’s generosity, Little Timmy would never have come into mama’s life.  Mama is filled with gratitude and finally able to accept being on the receiving end of goodwill.

Mama can see the immense joy that Lisa experiences in giving of herself, her time and her resources.  How can mama possibly deny her friend all of this joy?

And, with gratitude, I say that this is the lesson, friends… Receive as fully and open-heartedly as you give.

Timmy happily receiving kitten love

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How to Name a Puppy (with Angel Intervention)

January 20, 2012 By Atticus 30 Comments

I told you in my post Heaven Sent Messages that I would fill you in on how the pup, Timmy Elijah Love, got his name… and it’s a doozy, if I do say so myself.  Of course, my influence was key to this decision, but read for yourself how the confluence of spirit, serendipity and relationships formed this elegant name.

Little Timmy Elijah Love

Once mama came to the conclusion that she must adopt this new little guy she started pondering names.  Her first inclination is always towards personally meaningful, literary or cultural names.  Names that immediately came to mind were Aramis, Amadeus and Sirius (notice the cadence of all are in sync with Atticus — no coincidence!)

Backtrack one month… An FOA I met through twitter (a gloriously centered and spiritual soul — @OneLoveOneEarth) had emailed mama telling her that her son had some insights on the night of my transition and when mama was ready, she wanted to share.  We’ll come back to this storyline in a moment…

During a road-trip last weekend, the name Timmy kept coming into mama’s mind.  It made sense because both mama and I have a deep love and respect for young Timmy Lincecum, ace Giant’s pitcher and 2-time Cy Young award winner.  As you FOA’s know, mama has been a diehard SF Giant’s fan since she was a wee child and Timmy holds a special place for her.

Timmy Lincecum

Our “freaky” pitcher stands for so much more than award and World Series Championship winner.  For us, Timmy Lincecum is a beacon of hope and resiliency.  Proof that an underdog — a skinny, scrawny, long-haired kid — is capable of indescribable greatness.  A strong name indeed, but others thought it was a little silly and not dignified enough.

As mama was driving, she was listening to her beloved Chris Robinson Brotherhood and grooving to their rendition of the old classic, “Poor Elijah”.  Then when she switched to the radio, can you guess what song was playing?  Eric Clapton’s version of Poor Elijah!  Lightbulb moment!  His name will be Elijah.

Now, getting back to my twitter friend… Mama came home to a long email from @OneLoveOneEarth and mama felt my spirit moving in the universe.

“December 12th, before bedtime, my son (Timmy) – who is six and VERY aware and intuitive – said some very interesting things.  He said it was a very special “angel day.”  To us an “angel day” is a day to honor someone’s passing.  Timmy is very passionate about Jesus (100% his own truth and took me completely by surprise a few years ago) and is curious about “Jesus’ friends who are now angels.” “

“He told me that night (December 12th) a very special angel was being born.  Timmy that the special angel was going to the Light because he believed in the Light.  He said the angel’s family believes in the Light too – and that they’d be sad – but they should be happy because the new angel would be very happy.”

Sweet baby

Blimey!!  Little Timmy’s revelations were spoken at almost the exact time of my transition!  And Mama had no idea of our friend’s son name.   It immediately made sense to mama… I was driving this decision from the heavens and she got it!  Timmy Elijah Love.

They say the universe works in mysterious ways.  But it’s not such a mystery when there’s a furry angel keeping watch.

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