At first, it was easy to dismiss, particularly since he’s so vocal in general.
You see, for the past two weeks, I’ve noticed Vlad letting out a little yelp or two whenever his hindquarters were bumped.
As a devoted Swiftie, though, he always follows her advice to “Shake It Off,” and seconds later, he’s restored to his normal “sensitive jock” self.
On Monday, however, during our afternoon walk, he suddenly began spasming, became unable to walk, and cried out in agony.
The whole episode probably only lasted two minutes but felt like an eternity.
Fortunately, mere moments later, Vlad was buoyant again, happily completing our walk and ready for more adventures.
Temporarily reassured, I left a message for his vet and began serious canine internet research.
Right now, we’re in a particularly awkward pre-move phase.
Even though our logistics remain entirely up in the air, I’m passionately decluttering.
I like to think we are taking to heart the advice of one of my favorite poems by Pádraig Ó Tuama which begins:
“It all begins with knowing
nothing lasts forever,
so you might as well start packing now.”
As my wise friend Susan reminded me, Vlad is no doubt doing his best to alchemize my stress (and process his own as well).
Since Vlad is such a superb athlete, I assumed he’d pulled or sprained a muscle.
The video chat with the vet confirmed that this was a possibility.
I also remembered that while he was continuously climbing up to the sofa in the living room, for a few days he’d been avoiding the more elevated challenge of the bed.
Even so, I was willing to dismiss this as some minor injury, one that would heal itself.
Allow me to take a detour in the narrative.
I’m increasingly excited about Move Into Magic, the new course I’m teaching this January.
(There’s another week remaining where the early bird / pay-what-you-want discount applies HERE.)
In the first week of the course, we’ll explore CLEARING:
- Decluttering your space and mind to invite fresh possibilities.
- Releasing what no longer serves you.
- Creating room for the magic you desire.
As I’ve mentioned, Vlad and I have been actively doing this, and it’s been overwhelmingly positive.
Even if it’s just releasing things we’ve been keeping in our Cubesmart storage space, a ten-minute walk from our home, there’s an almost giddy lightness that comes with letting go.
Week Two’s theme—Embracing Waiting—is also being actively lived as I practice being patient with uncertainties and trusting the timing, something I wrote about last week.
Yet it’s truly in Week Three—Welcoming Magic—where the real fun begins.
Speaking of fun…
One of the benefits of being a premium subscriber—which you can become for $5 a month—is the Transformation Book Club.
Although the whole thing is very chill, I’m particularly excited about this month’s selection The Great Awakening for several reasons.
New York Times bestselling author Mike Dooley (featured in The Secret) invited six acclaimed spiritual channelers to share their messages.
I’m delighted that one of those contributors is a great friend of mine, Daniel Scranton.
Daniel and I met years ago on an Abraham-Hicks Australia/New Zealand cruise, where, over dinner, we discovered that although we didn’t overlap, we attended the same Catholic High School in Connecticut.
Of more immediate significance, however, is that Daniel’s going to be joining us for this month’s discussion.
So if you have any burning cosmic questions, I can’t think of a better way to welcome in the magic than by asking them live.
You’re invited to join us HERE.
The next day, Vlad was his usual athletic self all morning.
I was somewhat reassured.
He was quietly napping until a surprise visitor knocked on our door.
Vlad’s enthusiastic greeting suddenly brought on another painful attack of paralysis.
Somehow I had the presence of mind to capture 45 seconds of it on video to show the vet.
This time, it was quite clear that an office visit was necessary as soon as possible.
I quoted from it earlier I but love this poem by Pádraig Ó Tuama so much I want to share the whole thing.
In fact, I highly recommend you listen to him read it himself HERE.
How To
BelongBe AloneIt all begins with knowing
nothing lasts forever,
so you might as well start packing now.
In the meantime,
practice being alive.There will be a party
where you’ll feel like
nobody’s paying you attention.
And there will be a party
where attention’s all you’ll get.
What you need to do
is to remember
to talk to yourself
between these parties.And,
again,
there will be a day,
— a decade —
where you won’t
fit in with your body
even though you’re in
the only body you’re in.You need to control
your habit of forgetting
to breathe.Remember when you were younger
and you practiced kissing on your arm?
You were on to something then.
Sometimes harm knows its own healing
Comfort knows its own intelligence.
Kindness too.
It needs no reason.There is a you
telling you another story of you.
Listen to her.Where do you feel
anxiety in your body?
The chest? The fist? The dream before waking?
The head that feels like it’s at the top of the swing
or the clutch of gut like falling
& falling & falling and falling
It knows something: you’re dying.
Try to stay alive.For now, touch yourself.
I’m serious.Touch your
self.
Take your hand
and place your hand
some place
upon your body.
And listen
to the community of madness
that
you are.
You are
such an
interesting conversation.You belong
here.
I don’t think I even need to explain it but more and more, this is a message I think we all need.
Although he’s been many times and generally is a happy camper there, this vet visit was intense, particularly since I’ve never heard Vlad be more vocal.
It was…a lot.
To make things more confounding, although I feel utterly connected to him on every level, it’s impossible to tell how much of his reaction is from pain or fear.
Beyond this, even with the video of the spasm, it’s hard to pinpoint the exact cause.
Essentially, he’s been prescribed four medications and 10 days of bedrest, something which will be a complete change of pace for him.
The vet and I are hoping that’s enough and honestly, I think it will be because…
Just two days into his medication—with all the living room furniture covered with coffee table books to prevent him from straining himself while climbing up—and just before I began writing this newsletter, Vlad decided it was time to return to our bed.
I was in a zoom meeting and found him as above.
Again, this was a 26-inch journey he’d been avoiding for two weeks, an Everest of uncertainty.
I think Pádraig Ó Tuama would be proud.
Despite an intense interval of not fitting in with his body, Vlad knows that he (like you) is an interesting conversation, and that he belongs here.
Indeed, Vlad’s completely open to the invitation for magic and I hope you are, too (invite links below).
Remember:
It all begins with knowing
nothing lasts forever,
so you might as well start packing now.
In the meantime,
practice being alive.
Namaste for Now,
