Re-Imagining

Last June, on the first day of summer, we opened our arms to a new bundle of joy. Alan named the puppy Amik, which in Algonquin means beaver: builder of dreams. He was the cutest little puff ball, and when I wondered what dream he would build, it seemed obvious – a world of joy and generosity.
Amik was the first puppy I had, so I consulted different websites and trainers for advice. He was a very smart and determined Great Pyrenees who loved being around people. With the steady flow of guests last summer, however, any consistency in the training was impossible.
Amik loved company, especially when other dogs visited too. It was so funny watching him try to keep up with the ones bred for agility. After a good round of playing, he'd just lie down, pant and smile, then get back up and go run some more. He was bigger than the others but had such a gentle nature, no one worried.
After the fall was over and most people had left, Amik's temperament changed. There was a longing in him that Alan and I couldn't fulfill. I tried taking him to town for walks and to visit another puppy, but it wasn't enough. He became very frustrated and began lashing out. We called the trainer back and got a new routine for him, and when that didn't work, got an even stricter one.
By mid January, Amik was very limited. It wasn't any fun for him and it wasn't any fun for us either. Out on the path, with him on the short lead, I began to cry. What have I done, what have I done. We had such a beautiful, joyous puppy seven months ago and now I had a caged terrorist.
I took Amik to the kennel on the way down to the city and talked about him with the owner, Marg, but she had no problems with him at all. After a good chat, I came to understand that Amik was born and bred to be a working dog. He came from an alpaca ranch - from working class stock - and that's where he belonged. Although other Pyrs are great house pets, Amik seemed to have gotten all guard dog genes
I thought a lot about it on the drive down and then got caught up in the conference I was attending. The weekend was hosted by The Gaia Centre in West Guilford, and they had brought Matthew Fox in to speak about re-imagining earth community. As part of the event, Carol Kilby organized an "arts as meditation" segment for the second day so participants could get into the creative spirit of re-imagining. To my surprise, and delight, she had asked me to lead the writing workshop. I always thought I had something to teach but none of the classes I'd offered worked out.
I took this opportunity seriously and planned my presentation well, but I had a restless sleep at my brother's the night before and woke up with a thick head unable to concentrate. At the lunch break, I adapted my work to what Matthew had talked about, and then with twenty minutes left, I did what I do: I went outside. Walking around the quad with my hands behind my back, I remembered I wasn't alone; I had all my mentors and loved ones with me – in me. I also remembered why I was there: receive for the sake of giving, the sages teach and now was my time to step up and give back.
My head was still buzzing, so I walked over to a huge oak tree and rested my forehead on it. "Help me, please," I humbly asked. I then drew good energy from the earth into my feet and up to my head. Soon it was cleared out, and I returned to the class ready to present Entering the Writer's Cave.
I do this meditation called the Secret Smile and at the end I feel totally alive and aware. That's what I felt like during the presentation – it was as if this was who I was born and bred to be, and it was magnificent in how wonderfully it all unfolded. I had struggled and I had emerged!
Driving home, I knew I had to let Amik feel the same way – I had to let him live out his life's purpose. Next day, I called the breeder and some others and put the word out that a wonderful Great Pyrenees was looking for a guarding job on a farm. And that's when I realized Amik was a builder of the greatest dream of all – the dream that we all live our authentic lives. If all beings were allowed to be whom they were born and bred to be, then joy and generosity would prevail.
Now that's how I re-imagine earth community.