Landmark days—those days that hold special meaning in our lives—are times to stop and celebrate and remember. They are the days that build families and communities—in multi-species families, they include adoption days, birthdays, breakthroughs, and deaths. I remember the day I figured out what the book about my life with Murphy was all about. I […]
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 19
Euthanasia is murder. Euthanasia is mercy. The problem is, how do we bring those two truths together? Future societies will call us barbaric. They’ll say, yes, they had comfortable lives, but they often ended them poorly. They had everything they needed to live, but they did not know how to die, they couldn’t let go. […]
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 18
As my beloved dog, Murphy, and I walked the mystery together—her dying and her death—I marveled at how much my life had changed in the nearly 14 years we shared. I used to think people like I am today were impossibly woo-wooey. Were crystal-loving, freakily dressed hippies who believed in weird mystical things, like reincarnation […]
Eagles, Fish, Dogs, and Turkeys: Persistence Pays Off
Last year we had a few months that were both fun and hard at our house. Fun because I met wonderful people at writing events and at intuitive events with my crystal partner, Fallon. People who make me believe that community is possible and present and glad that I keep trying. No matter what. […]
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 17
Where does choice take us when we live multi-species family lives? When I learned my beloved dog, Murphy, most likely had splenic cancer, I knew that our long journey together was ending. You don’t beat splenic cancer, you just delay the inevitable, and not usually for very long. The problem is, when you find it early, […]
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 16
How do we walk that last mystery of life with our beloved animal companions? How does the human-animal bond end? I write this as our mystery is over: I lost my dying dog, my beloved Murphy, on March 8, 2012. I continue with our diary because her life ran out before our story did, and […]
Are You Stuck? Or Living a Bald Eagle Life?
(c) Gary R. Jones If life were easy we wouldn’t get stuck. Or laugh. It’s all in our perspective. Which reminds me of the bald eagles who share our beach with us. I love these birds, and I sometimes think it would fun to be one. And then I think: “raw fish.” Eww. Yes, […]
Getting Unstuck with Bald Eagles
What inspires you to keep going, no matter what? Is it an admirable person? A dynamic leader? A work of art? Bald eagles inspire me. Watching them in my Seattle neighborhood reminds me to keep going, no matter what. Yes, bald eagles. Why do I write about nonhuman mentors? Because my business is about challenging […]
Living the Bald Eagle Life: Our Challenge for Greatness
Who are your role models? What challenges you to greatness? Okay, easy if you’re thinking humans, but my work is about creating community with all life. I tend to draw inspiration from the world around me. Like bald eagles. Let’s take a look. Bald eagles regularly perch in a scraggly Madrona tree above our Alki […]
Why Being Appalled Works
(c) 2011 Danny L. McMillin The other day I saw a great bumper sticker. My best recollection is that it said: “If you’re not absolutely appalled you’re not paying attention.” Perfect. It’s absolutely the way I feel a lot of the time. It’s the way we should all feel. Because we all need to […]