Getting Chatty with My Heart

The Gemini New Moon has a profound effect on a body's rhythms. Releasing attachments doesn't come easy for a friendly sign such as myself. I have a Libra sun and a Gemini rising persona that loves to observe, get involved, stay curious, and take action whenever the mood strikes. I almost feel our dog Wizard has adopted my persona to a tee.

He's not your ordinary 11-month-old puppy. He doesn't bound up to strangers, or even people he's known for a while. He stands back, assesses the situation, gathers information through his stare, and sizes up the human. With dogs, it's a whole different story. He feels comfortable with all sizes and shapes of pups, however, he does stand back, observe, get involved, stay curious, and take action whenever his mood strikes. Wizard is extraordinary.

He is independent, smart as a whip, not super cuddly, and everything is on his terms. I like that. It's my first to share a life with such a unique dog as Wizard. He's also growing up fast. He's almost a year old and never misses a beat with what Greg and I do on any given day.

Back to the New Moon and why it FEELS different this go-round.

I write and talk about new moons, eclipses, the planets, and various other eclectic and ethereal topics. I've been doing it for over a decade and it never gets old. It also morphs into something unexpected on occasion and rather edgy on others. For the past year or so, I have been rushing around trying to get our garden looking awesome, get Wizard's health on the right track (as a smallish breed, he's had his fair share of challenges in the wellness department), tweak some areas within our house to add splashes of brilliance ;), and revive collections of heart rocks, crystals, and energy centers on shelves and in rooms. I like to give that added flow and touch to the inside and outside so whenever we call it a day, it's a nourishing event.

My interests have broadened, too, especially in the writing world. I have had offers to create articles about overseas cultures, write scripts for history YouTube channels, develop social media campaigns for spiritual marketing brands, and several other all-over-the-place niches. Can you say grateful? Life never leaves me without options.

What gives my heart the most satisfaction and fullness though, is my shared home life an awesome man and pup. The garden that I've nourished and cared for all season long, Greg and his strength and groundedness, Wizard and his ability to make us laugh like teenagers, our morning walks when the owls are hooting and the songbirds are singing, and above all, the feeling that I have supreme contentment throughout my entire body. I've never been privy to what this feels like, what my heart needs, what makes the things I do and say reverberate within my insides. It's all so interesting to understand how I went from a nomadic lifestyle to one that loves to be at home more.

Maybe it has something to do with being near the ocean. On any given day--whether the fog rolls in and out or when the winds cruise through and pierce our skin--being by that big blue Pacific body of water is healing and inspiring. The tenacity of the sea changes on a dime, and this alone alerts my heart to breathe better, perk up when I feel overwhelmed with mundane life silliness, and be there for others.

Which brings me full circle to the simplicity of life. I abided by this as somewhat of a constitution in my 40s and 50s. It was a huge deal to practice resourcefulness. I've been that way ever since. No matter the amount of money in my bank account or what projects are paying the most (and what are paying a mere pittance), I will be a simple woman at a core level. Being at retirement age hasn't slowed me down one iota. If anything, my passion for creativity and getting sh*t done has elevated to a point where I can drive Greg out of his mind. He refers to me as a hummingbird or a bumble bee, always buzzing around or flitting from one thing to the next. We laugh about that, too.

That being said, my heart sits on the precipice of everything new again. More cool writing projects, Wizard and his wonderful idiosyncrasies, Greg and his new truck ready to hit the road for a spell, and my garden getting prettier all the time. I also honored the ending of an era.

I closed out my 8 Paws Wellness gig as a testament to my partnership with Scout. I was striving to maintain that level that he and I had, yet no dog and human relationship can compare to what Scout and I had. We were special together. What we offered to the public at large was extraordinary and deserving of two books I authored about how we rolled. To put that kind of pressure on Wizard to keep up with my 8 Paws Wellness commitments wasn't fair to him.

Wizard has an entirely contrasting style. Life with him is on his terms. He leads, and I follow. Although he's a jovial pup, he's not your typical waggy tail to everybody and everything kind of dog. He's discerning. He processes interactions before moving closer. His wisdom is apparent, but his thoughtfulness towards others goes in spurts. It's not that he disses you; it's that he wants to love you as only he knows how. He can be standoffish at times and super wiggly with dog people at others. Mostly, he wants to shuck and jive with the big dogs. Wizard is a badass to the core and he shows it when around dogs over 50 lbs.

As a 15 lb. pup, I admire his position and cherish it. The time with Scout was a solid 9 years at 8 Paws Wellness, and I loved every minute. I was still composing blogs and adding images to my large gallery of photos, but it wasn't the same. There was a hole left in the business when Scout passed in 2023. I knew it but I wanted to not admit it. Until now. I discontinued my website at the end of May 2024 (last week) and I'm thinking up new ideas to put out into the world for Wizard and me. Since he's a family member to both Greg and me, our undertaking will have to be simple. See? There it is again. Plus, I'm at the crux of my life where tranquility, peace, satisfaction, making new memories, and staying present and fascinated with every moment are front and center.

Thanks for reading my chattiness from my heart. It does a soul good to express and be willing to share the vulnerabilities and the pinnacles of existence. Doubtful I'll ever stop.

I send heaps of LOVE and respect to you, your daily shares on my social media newsfeed, and the incredible chance to know many of you in person or get to spend time with you wherever and whenever. Much appreciated from my head to my toes.

With love,

Gerry Ellen xo