One ThOusand Trees

July 2019

One ThOusand TreesfaciliTaTing wellness

ThrOugh cOnnecTiOn, creaTiviTy, and cOmmuniTy service

Publisherlisa browning

regular Contributorsemily brant, Cheron Kovacs, andrea lines-botell, Christine nightingale,

Kayleigh radatus, Maureen Malone, arlene spencer, sandra Wilson

one thousand trees3-304 stone road West, suite 338

guelph on  n1g 4W4

email: lisa@onethousandtrees.comPhone: 519-362-5494

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One ThOusand TreesJuly 2019

meTamOrphOsis

Feature artICLes:

the angry butterFlyby sandy bassie 1

odinby amy lalonde 2

Departments: (bolded articles are monthly features)

ConneCtions-- the month in review, by Lisa Browning 14-- Ten Days in Italy, by diane lyndon 5-- All About Angels, by Jill Michelle 16-- spirit Babies: by Christine nightingale 11-- Words I Couldn’t say: Far Too Soon, by arlene spencer 2

Creativity & the arts-- the music of Life: Summer Living, by Kayleigh radatus 5-- my adventure Called Life: Driving a Bus Through Your Comfort Zone, by sandra Wilson 10

Food & nutrition-- essentially emm: Refresh-Zing Green Smoothie, by emily Brant 12

giving baCK-- Update on Grampa’s Butterfly, by Margaret-ann brooks 4

health & Wellbeing-- self-Love is Just a Heartbeat away: Communication, by Cheron Kovacs 11-- spice, splatters and souls: The Reason is the Seasoning, by andrea lines-botell 4-- What brings you Peace? 3

the library-- Consequence, a poem by sandy bassie 6-- the story Behind the story: Metamorphosis, by lisa browning 12-- Breaking Free, a poem by lisa browning 13-- The Truth, a poem by vanessa graber 15-- The Tree, a poem by Colleen heighington 17

Cover Photograph by Sandra Wilsonwww.quiteacharacter.ca

This mOnTh’s cOnTribuTOrs

Emily BrantEssentially Emm

Emily is a holistic health enthusiastwho has overcome various healthchallenges herself and realized thepower of nature’s tools like wholefoods and essential oils to assist in

healing. Emily is on a mission to share her unique storyand gifts in hopes that it’ll help inspire and motivateanyone who might be up against any challenges, self-doubt or difficult times.

Margaret-Ann BooksUpdate on Grampa’s Butterfly

Margaret-Ann always dreamed ofwriting a children’s book and Grampa’sButterfly was the fulfillment of thatdream. After losing her father andgrandmother, two people who greatly

influenced her life, within 8 months of each other, shefound herself telling the story of the butterfly to her ownchildren to help them cope with their sense of loss andgrief. Writing this story has been such a positiveexperience that Margaret-Ann hopes to publish morechildren’s books in the future.

Cheron KovacsSelf-Love is Just a Heartbeat Away

Cheron was born and raised inZimbabwe, Africa. She is the oldest of7 children. She is married with threebeautiful daughters aged 21, 5 and 4.Cheron came to Canada in 2001 with

her oldest daughter. Her purpose in this life is to humblyserve others through love and encouragement, bysharing her story, so others can learn to love themselvesfor who they really are, and so that they can pass theirblessings onto others.

Sandy BassieThe Angry Butterfly&Consequence

Sandy is an artist, a poet, and adreamer. She is a stubborn advocatefor those she loves. Fierce, yet tender.

She holds to this: it is never too late to learn or change.The things we believe about ourselves drive our lives andchoices. Choose to believe the good and those will beplaces we soar.

Vanessa GraberThe Truth

Ninja by day, Vanessa uses her creativeskills and 15 years experience to findhelpful and effective solutions as aCustomer Solutions Ninja at

Copernicus Educational Products, Inc. She is very proudto be celebrating her 23rd wedding anniversary thismonth with her husband. Together they raised twochildren and were blessed in 2019 with a granddaughter.Vanessa has always enjoyed writing poetry andjournaling, but after having children it was not a priority.Her full circle journey back to self has rekindled her needto write and given her the bravery to share her truth.

Colleen HeighingtonThe Tree

Colleen is happily married to awonderful husband named Ken.They have been blessed with threebeautiful children, and four terrificgrandsons. She enjoys reading,

writing stories and poetry, and she keeps fit by walking 3to 4 kilometres every day. Her summers are spent at theirtrailer in Orillia, and she really enjoys the time she spendswith family and friends. She has been a volunteer withHospice Wellington since 2015.

Andrea Lines-BotellSpice, Splatters and Soul

Andrea offers gentle support to othersthrough her coaching company,Mandalia House of Healing. Manymodalities are available including art,

mindfulness techniques and supportive tools for change.With a vast training background in conflict, crisis andmindfulness, Andrea's passion is to help others find theirown solutions for inner peace and betterment. For moreinformation visit www.mandaliahouse.com.

Jill MichelleAll About Angels

Jill Michelle has been communicatingwith angels for most of her life. She isan angel reader and channels healinglight to her clients. She has been

helping her international clients in person and on thephone for over 15 years. Jill's passion is to help peoplerelease issues and blockages, propelling them forward ontheir spiritual journey and bringing love peace and joyinto their lives. For more information visit her website atwww.jillmichelle.ca.

Christine NightingaleSpirit Babies

After studying Hypnosis for Fertility,Christine found that while workingwith clients, she would get very clearmessages from their miscarried or notyet conceived babies. Her speciality

has become getting messages from these babiesexplaining their difficulties in coming in, and suggestionsfor making it easier. She has worked with over 400couples, facilitating communication and pregnancy. Formore information please visit her website atwww.nightingalehealing.com.

Kayleigh RadatusThe Music of Life

Kayleigh is a Certified Life Coach &Certified Level 2 Reiki Practitioner,helping you feel the music of everyday. She uses intuitive Spirit guidedreadings, Groovy Reiki, and personal

development workshops to help her clients rememberwhat life on Earth is for, and create a life that feels asawesome as their favourite playlist. Learn more byvisiting her online at www.ThisGroovyLife.ca, and onfacebook at www.facebook.com/ThisGroovyLife.

Diane LyndonTen Days in Italy

Diane is a graduate of the school oflife. She has studied a variety ofhealing modalities including reflex-ology, therapeutic touch 1 & 2, AccessConsciousness: the bars, the F.I.X. code

for relief of anxiety, as well as floral design and interiorredesign. She has been a reflexology practitioner for 27years. She is ordained and can officiate weddings inOntario. She has been a photojournalist and publishedpoet for many years as well. But her favourite job ever isas grandmother!

Amy LalondeOdin

When Amy was diagnosed with PTSDin 2016, the diagnosis itself wasactually a relief, because she was ableto dive into the literature for solidanswers. The miracle that this

research led her to was Odin, a pure white miniaturehorse who has, in so many ways given Amy her life back.She is currently studying psychology at the University ofGuelph, because she wants to be able to use what shehas learned to help other people.

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Sandra WilsonMy Adventure Called Life

Sandra is a writer, photographer andeducator with a passion for fun andlearning. She holds a BA in English andHistory, and has continued to takecourses online throughout her adult

life, deeming herself a life-long learner. She believes thatlife is a learning experience, and continues to find lessonsevery day, which she applies to her writing, herphotography, and lessons she can share with others.Connect with Sandra at www.quiteacharacter.ca.

Arlene SpencerWords I Couldn’t Say

Arlene is a wife, mother of threegrown boys, and a special educationeducator who has a passion for life,an abundance of energy and a needto be heard because at the end of

the day everyone has “Words They Couldn’t Say.” Youcan reach Arlene by email, at Arlenewics@gmail.com.

publisher’s pOnderings

learning to fly

As I sat reading on my deck on the Sunday afternoon of the CanadaDay long weekend, I heard some incessant chirping from a robinnearby. I went investigating, and found the robin in one of the treesin my backyard. Not seeing any reason for the chirping, I went backto my reading.

The chirping continued, getting louder and more insistent with each passing moment. I went back tothe tree. This time, I saw a baby bird in the branches, beside the chirping mother. The baby had notbeen there previously, so I assume it had fallen to the ground, where I couldn’t see it.

For the next hour, I watched in fascination, as the mother taught her baby how to fly. With a patienceand determination that fascinated me, she sat by the baby, coaxing her to spread her wings. The babytried, but did not take off from the branch. The mother left several times, always coming back withanother word to feed her offspring.

Finally I watched as the baby flew out of the tree, and onto my fence. The mother followed. Thishappened repeatedly, until the two birds landed on a neighbouring rooftop, then flew out of sight.

* * *

The following afternoon I was outside filling bird feeders, and heard a tremendous commotion in myneighbour’s yard. This time, there were two robins (one I believe to be the same mother from the daybefore), both of whom were squawking in distress. I saw the baby robin on the ground, underneath theneighbour’s trampoline. The mother (and father?) could not see her.

They searched for close to an hour, calling out to the baby, who called back but too quietly to be heard.I watched for that hour, also keeping an eye out for the neighbourhood cat. Finally, the baby took its firststeps out from under the trampoline. Still, the mother did not see it.

But the mother did not leave that yard. Once the baby managed to fly to a higher location, it found itsvoice. When it called out, the mother heard, and they were reunited.

I watched in relief as the two of them, once again, flew up to the rooftop and out of sight.

Lisa

THE ANGRy BuTTERfLyby Sandy Bassie

I keep thinking about butterflies andtadpoles. Beautiful little creatures whoby design, throw caution to the windand shift not just their form, but theirentire interaction with life. How dothey do it? Is it incredible courage? Oris it just because their design ishardwired and they really have nochoice but make the change? I’d liketo think they are brave, that some partof them leans into this transformativejourney and welcomes it. So why, attimes, have I found this ideauncomfortable.

Maybe it’s just me … I’m working on anew-found permission to discovermyself. It has me wondering. Why ischange so hard? Making changehurts. It can be exhausting to becomesomething else. Do I want change? DoI need it? I do want something. I’mjust uncomfortable with people whopresent change as a ‘fix’ for what’swrong with my life. Too many years of‘you don’t know who or what you are’still hover in the background.

Change is coming. I’m finally askingmyself questions and expectinganswers. Who am I? What do I like?Do I allow these things in my life? Do Ifall back on habits that block the good,deny my right to have and enjoy. I seethe irony of something I said to afriend recently, “I find it strange howhard it is to shift. I left the abuse, butit hasn’t left me.”

I’m an angry butterfly. I don’t know ifbutterflies get angry. Watching themflit around the garden, they have alight-hearted appearance. Angry is notthe first thing that comes to mind, butthat’s how I feel some days, like anangry butterfly.

Fighting change reminds me of myson. He was angry. He didn’t want tobe Deaf. He didn’t want to haveautism. He said a definite ‘No!’ to

puberty; not that it did any good.What had him angry was that none ofthese was optional. That’s how I feel,though I know that most things in mylife came with choices, I just didn’tknow how to make them. When Icatch myself doubting, I ask was thereanything wrong with the caterpillarbeing a caterpillar? What if he wasperfectly happy? Did he know hewould be so completely different?Was he ready to face it?

Caterpillar or butterfly? Leaf versusflowers. Ground versus air. Choices. Iwill make them. Meanwhile, I wonder.How much does form matter whenfreedom is really about looking inside,knowing myself and loving the life I’vebeen given.

Any changes are still in flux. This is allI know ... whatever, wherever,whenever ... I’m learning to freemyself to BE.

* * *

fAR Too SooN

Having seven brothers and sisters isamazing but along with the goodtimes come some difficult times.

Searching through some old boxes, Istumbled upon a letter I wrote to mybrother 15 years ago. It was begginghim to get help for his alcoholaddiction.

Until we were faced with this disease,we had no clue, the effects it has on alife and the lives of those who watchday by day the demons alcoholics face.Nor did we realize the strugglesalcoholics encounter trying to hide

their weakness and how afraid theyare of the next day.

My brother suffered in silence fortwenty years. He started drinking torelax, take the edge off and to just feelnormal. It began with small incidents,but those incidents turned into regularoccurrences. He hid alcohol at thebarn or in the machinery until it cameto a point where he could no longer beleft alone running our family farm.

His wife and three young childrensuffered along with him for years, andthough they loved him deeply, theyfinally had to leave. It was then welearned he had been selling the kidstoys at the end of his driveway for cashand driving the tractor lawn mower tothe liquor store because without thealcohol he knew he would seizure.

He tried quitting several times andeach time he suffered throughagonizing alcohol withdrawals andmajor seizures but was most afraid ofthe terrifying hallucinations associatedwith detox.

This was a tough time for all of us butwe knew if he was going to get help,he would have to first hit rock bottom.Watching him struggle was one of thehardest things we had to do.

We talked openly and honestly abouthis drinking and finally persuaded himthree different times to admit himselfinto a residential treatment center.Each time we developed hope, prayedthat this time he would conquer it.

I searched a little deeper in that boxand found his eulogy. The one I wrotewhen he lost his fight to alcohol. Itincluded words about how kind andgentle he was and how he was lovedby everyone. It touched on his life as achild on our farm and his love for thecows and the land. I spoke of his lovefor his wife and their three beautifulchildren, and told how proud ourparents were of him. I shared words

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words i couldn’t say

arlene spencer

about how he cherished his brothersand sisters, and his nieces andnephews but most importantly sharedhis faith in God.

If I had the chance to say the, “WordsI Couldn’t Say” they would be, We areproud of you, we miss you and in ourhearts you will always be a warriorbecause of your fight with alcohol thatyou battled every day.

* * *

oDINby Amy Lalonde

It is a beautiful spring day, and I amsitting here in my backyard with themost adorable face reaching out tome. Stretching with all his might, inthe hopes that just maybe I will sharemy lunch with him.

Odin, like any pet, has full confidencethat whatever I am eating should, byrights, be his too.

He is so beautiful, even now when heis being such a goofball. Glossy white,he seeming sometimes to be right outof mythology. Anam Cara, a soul friendto guide me.

You see, this little equine came into mylife at a time when honestly, I had onlythe smallest drop of hope left.

The PTSD diagnosis I had just receivedcame after more than a year of testafter test. I was exhausted but gratefulto finally have something solid to holdon to.

Odin’s arrival at our home was such ahopeful moment. While EquineTherapy is so powerful for many likeme, I felt I needed something morethan an hour a week could offer. Andtraining him to be my Service Animalwould mean that I would always havehim there to help me through myfrequent panic attacks.

At this time, the panic attacks werecoming 3-4 times a day, and it wasgetting hard to go out. It’s difficult todo groceries when you are trying sohard to hide your face so no one willsee the tears streaming down yourface.

Worse than the tears though, were thedizzy spells. Out of nowhere, I wouldoften have times when it felt like theworld just flat out lost its stability.Everything felt shaky, and I wouldneed to sit with my head in my handsuntil it cleared.

Odin was my hope, that when thesethings happened, I would always havesomeone there with me to anchor theworld and be my strength.

Each morning after Odin arrived Iwould go out and just sit with himwhile I drank my morning tea. I lovedthose times. There was so much peacejust in sitting with him. The simplicitymasking the power as we got to knoweach other and built the foundationsof our partnership.

It was on these mornings that my lifebegan to come back to me, but it wasonly the beginning.

As weeks went by, we became morecomfortable with each other, and thisset the stage for a moment I willalways remember. A precious momentloaded with nervous energy.

Having a horse fall asleep with hishead on your lap is the kind of thingdreams are made of. But I was scaredto death. Surely, he was going to jump

up at any moment and trample me.However, as his little snores turnedinto dreamy nickers I began to relaxand lean in to enjoy the moment. Istroked his neck, and tried to imaginewhat beautiful things he wasdreaming of. His hooves twitched, andI imagined him thundering acrosssome great expanse, so free and alive.

The magic of that moment was sopalpable, but the real magic was thatit was the catalyst of something in thedays that followed that was trulyamazing.

No panic attacks. For the first time in Idon’t even know how long, I had nopanic attacks for three whole days!This was unheard of for me at thetime, and oh it felt good.

And it was just the beginning. In theweeks and months to come, as long asI spent the time with my new friend,my panic attacks continued to fadefrom my life. Soon they were once aweek, then once every few weeks.They still hold a place in my life, but itis amazing how much richer a life canbe you are when not in a constantstate of panic.

It has been two years now since thatbeautiful day, and as Odin and I havecontinued to walk together, hisinfluence on my life has continues tobe one of deep healing. Thanks to himI just passed the one year anniversaryat my job and, even better, I justfinished my first year studyingpsychology at the University ofGuelph. After years of feeling less thanhuman, I am reaching high for mydreams. Somewhere in the futurethere is a huge beautiful farm whereOdin and his friends will, just by beingtheir amazing selves, help me pullother people out of the muck andback onto dry land. There is so muchmore magic still to come.

* * *

2

3

What BringsYou Peace?

earlier this month, i asked this question on my facebook page, and was over-whelmed by the following 60+ responses i received ...

Rocking a baby to sleep.

Nature....trees, flowers, birds, streams.

The beach and the mountains, animals!

Time in my garden.

Walking in nature, without anyone else around.

Walking on the beach, or being at a lake. Watching water...

My Annie.

Feeling home.

My garden.

Nature and puppy cuddles and being by the water.

My dog and music.

Having a home to raise my children, and knowing I do my best every day.

Being in the presence of people of the same mind.

Being where I belong every day.

Walking through trees.

Jesus.

Train.

Having a glass of red wine.

Like-minded people.

continued on page 8

THE REASoN IS THE SEASoNINGby Andrea Lines-Botell

Metamorphosis

Fresh out of the beautiful chrysalis thebutterfly stretched its new limbs. Theworld seemed softer than sheexpected. A gentle glow edged thetrees and the grass hummed withactivity. She breathed in the gloriousair and remembered how hard it hadbeen before the time of the chrysalis.She had inched her way through lifewith days and nights that were longand hard. At that time every stepseemed to take what felt like aneternity.

Her body had ached for the changethat was inevitable. She had graduallycome to a place of acceptance of thenew life that was near and yet wasfilled with trepidation and fear. Shehad troubled thoughts that weretinged with excitement, “What if Icannot be the spirit that I am meant tobe?” She had thought. “How I willknow how to fly when I emerge? I amonly used to this way of living andeven though it is hard it is what Iknow.”

The time came that she must becomethe chrysalis, and she begged the sky,“I am not worthy of this change, thisgrowth and this beauty. What am I todo?”

Breathing into her very core shelonged for an answer. The ombremoonlight carried a reply, “It is for allto emerge as their true beauty if theychoose. To not take this path will meanthat you will leave this earth notknowing what flight and love feel like.

You will always walk with hardship anddetermination as your soul is longingto break free of this body.”

Time passed as she transformed andchanged and the day became that sheentered this new way of life.Spectacular colours enrobed her andmagnificent wings stretched withglory. Sitting now and observing fromrebirth she saw the world beckon herto fly and add her love to this life.Below she saw a beautiful swan. Theswan was so graceful and proud. Itseemed effortless and at ease with hisbody and soul. The butterfly flewalongside the swan and said, “Tell me,swan, how do you walk with such easeand grace? I have just emerged intomy new life and I don’t know if I canbe what I am meant to be.”

The swan looked for a moment andthen replied, “I journeyed as a youngcygnet and with that, I faced manysufferings. There were so manypredators and harsh weather days. Iwas lonely and scared. Each day Ifaced the sky and asked why I mustlive this way. The reply always cameback the same. You do not have to livethis way. Trust and choose. So eachday I chose to be a little less scaredand a little more curious. I started tosee that the world around me had somuch more to it than fear. With time,I became a swan and I knew my souland I knew my strength.”

The butterfly gently perched on theswan’s shoulder, and they walked fora while.

The butterfly started to look at theworld through love and not fear. Shestarted to feel her wings gettingstronger and stronger. With a light gustof wind, the butterfly began to flyaround the swan with swooping turnsplaying with the wind and the light.The sun smiled upon them as theyjourneyed through the path both instrength and grace. On the wind, theyheard a whisper that said: “Be yourtruth, be love and become grace.”

* * *

upDATE oN GRAMpA’S BuTTERfLyby Margaret-Ann Brooks

As I walk through life’s journey Icontinue to be amazed at the differentpaths our lives can take when we takea chance and follow our dreams.

My original intent when I publishedGrampa’s Butterfly was simple. Ihoped to give children a book thatthey could read at home either withtheir parents or on their own thatwould allow them to deal with grief. Assomeone who never saw themselvesas a writer, let alone a publishedauthor, I never envisioned that I wouldone day be reading my book tochildren and adults in schools, librariesand group sessions. Through thesenew opportunities I have seen first-hand the transformation that can takeplace when both children and adultsfeel they can safely talk about loss andthe personal pain they have endured.

During one particular book reading ata local school I learned that Grampa’sButterfly has had a greater impact onothers than I could possibly haveimagined. After doing a book readingto a grade 5 class, and hearing all thechildren’s stories of personal loss, theteacher approached me with tears inher eyes. She wanted me to know how

4

truly amazed she was at how thechildren provided each other with theopportunity to speak, regardless oftheir “social standing” in the class.Even those children who are “lesspopular” and who never seem tospeak up wanted to share their storywith me, and with their peers. Weboth realized at that moment thatgrief truly is a great equalizer, andbecause of that any social labels thatthese children wore vanished whenthey were allowed to speak about it. I,like the butterfly, walked away fromthat particular book readingtransformed, as I had never trulyenvisioned the gift that would comefrom my book.

* * *

THE MuSIC of LIfE:SuMMER LIVING

by Kayleigh Radatus

Welcome, to The Music of Life. Someof the most important connections ofour lives, those we form with ourselvesthroughout life, as well as those weform with our families and friends, arebeing lost in this modern world of“social” media, minimalism, andkeeping up with society. I hope,through this column, to remind myreaders of all that matters, and helpthem re-establish their bonds with life,memories, mementos, and traditions.

Well, it finally happened here…theweather has shifted to match thecalendar. It’s been the strangest SpringI remember, with cool temperaturesand lots of rain. It’s easy to get caughtup in all the weather stops us fromdoing; we can always come up with a

“reason” to stay inside. It’s too hot,too cold, too wet, or too windy. Welive our lives indoors, safely insulatedfrom everything outside. That’s a goodthing when it’s plus or minus 35outside, but not so much when thetemperatures are more moderate. Ourbody needs to be outside. We needthe fresh air, the sun, the wind on ourskin, and the feel of the earth beneathour feet.

With Summer, there is often a feelingtoo, of “hurry up and enjoy it”;packing as much as possible into a fewshort months, before the tempera-tures begin to drop again. And while Iunderstand the sentiment, we losesomething when we overload our-selves this way. We lose the ability tofully appreciate and enjoy all we aredoing. We lose the opportunity tobecome happy in the moment whenalways in the back of our mind, we’reaware of the next thing on the list.

Remember; the groove of a song is asmuch about the space between thenotes, those brief moments of silence,as it is about the notes themselves.Without space, there is no groove,both literally and figuratively. Thinkabout it for a moment; the groove ofa record is created by removing piecesof the vinyl, creating space for theneedle to move.

The same applies to life. Life can’tmove, can’t flow, can’t groove if it’sjam packed with activities, even ifthey’re fun ones. Ask yourself; will Iremember all of these activities I haveplanned now, when Summer ends?Will I look back and remember allthese things I did? How will I enjoythese events the most? How muchspace between is best for me? Theanswer to this last question will likelyvary from day to day. Some days, you’llbe quite content filling the day, andothers, you’ll do better to have somegaps between. You may decide to havea couple of busy days, followed by oneor two less busy ones. The point is, to

consciously choose what you do andwhen. To exercise your power ofchoice to create some measure ofcontrol over your days.

Yes, we only live once. Yes, it’simportant to enjoy this life we have, toengage with it, and do the fun thingswe love. Just make sure you giveyourself the space to do exactly that.

I’d love to hear from you! Chat aboutThe Music of Life column by visiting

my blog;www.thisgroovylife.ca/blog/the-

music-of-life-column.

* * *

TEN DAyS IN ITALyby Diane Lyndon

The Goddess Rising Tour Sept. 10-20th 2012

Little did we know when we gatheredin the airport before our night flight toItaly on Sept. 9th, the magic thatwould unfold once the 24 of us wereall united. Liana Gualtieri of Dea SolNetwork and Co-coordinator DianeLyndon of Trenton, Ontario had beenplanning this trip for a year and wereequally excited to see the comingtogether of these internationalwomen with Guest Speaker and threetime Hay House author and best sellerCrystal Andrus who teaches empower-ment.

The bus ride was animated from Rometo our destination, Hotel le Golenestled at the foot of Mount Tino in

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Aielli. This was to become our homebase over the next ten days and thewomen were fascinated with theGoddess grounds and the castle-likeappearance of our hotel. After a quicksettling in, we were off for a receptionby the Mayor of Aielli and weregraciously treated to a sampling ofItalian cuisine and warm hospitality.That would just be the start of ourcomplete immersion into the warm,rich culture of our Italian hosts.

Over the next ten days we wouldtravel through the mountainousregion of Central Italy. We weretwenty-four women whose agesspanned four decades, two energetictour guides, a security guard and ofcourse our bus driver. Each day beganearly with a brisk coffee, Italianpastries and fruit. One could thenparticipate in yoga, workshops andthen we would depart for the day’sadventure. Totally immersed in thebeauty of the countryside, we foundourselves speaking more Italian andadapting to the winding roads of themajestic mountains which embracedus.

All of our meals were taken togetheras a family, somewhat of a lost art forsome of us and we enjoyed feasts atevery meal. For those of us on aspiritual quest, we were notdisappointed and in fact, at theCathedral of Padre Pio, a group of uswere blessed by an aged Monk whomwe first thought was an apparition ina doorway. We also were alerted tothe Church S. Maria in Vlle Porclanetathat was built sometime around 1045

AD, some say by persecuted Christianswho had fled, and reportedly has laylines beneath it. The energy is said tobe so powerful there that rocks roll upthe hills. On the property, we tookturns hugging a 1200 year old oaktree. Our next stop was a winery andthat was an eventful evening offeasting. We also visited the Church ofthe Archangel Michael which is anunderground grotto with tremendousenergy.

We happened to arrive in the village ofScanno on a festival day and weregiven the privilege of modeling thetraditional dress of that area. Scannowas a town run by the women as themen would be out herding sheep. It’spicturesque locale in the mountainswas enhanced by the beautifulcascading flowers off every balcony.There is still a group of women inScanno today from the age of 80 on upwho wear the traditional garb. Thelake in Scanno is heart-shaped.

Our visit to Lake Sagittarius was verymoving as we visited a small chapelcarved into the rock and touched ourtoes in the turquoise waters of thismountain fed lake.

We were treated to a fabulous galanight, complete with entertainment bysinger/actor Germano di Mattia and afashion show sponsored by Dea Sol.We finished off the evening withdancing.

One of our favourite days was the tripto the Amalfi coast and a boat ride toAmalfi with a stop in Positano on ourreturn. It was the most gorgeous dayto enjoy the scenery and someshopping. The boat ride was a fittingtribute to the end of summer as webasked in the warm sun and felt thesea breeze in our hair. On our last day,we visited the Vatican, St. Peter’sBasilica, the Sistine Chapel, theSpanish Steps, Coliseum and Trevifountain before taking on theshopping district of Rome. The

heavens opened up and showeredRome with rain but we were content.It was the most incredible trip,inspiring a love for the richness ofItalian culture in all things..family,food, friends, festivals. Each of us lefta piece of our heart in Italy. We werea diverse group hailing from Australia,Holland, Spain, Italy, Canada and theUnited States and yet, for ten days inItaly, we were a sisterhood ofGoddesses rising!

* * *

6

CoNSEquENCEby Sandy Bassie

Your words hold hopeFor me it’s all I need

A little hope can make Or break me

Draw a smile from deepWithin me, all you

Think inconsequential Welling up

Becomes a storm Renew my faith

In words from you Send gentle

Rains, not thunder headsSpeak tender words

In consequenceWash me again in hope

Call for SubmissionsThe next volume of SHARING,

an anthology of empowerment stories, will be published in March 2020.

This is the first time we will be combining both men’s and women’s stories in the same volume!

24 spots are available.

If you are interested in writing for this anthology, emaillisa@onethousandtrees.com.

Deadline for submissions: January 1, 2020.

www.sharinganthologies.com

SHARINGour stories, our selves, our success

an anthology of women’s empowerment stories

Volume 5

 

 

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What Brings You Peace?continued from page 3

Being outside at night or anywhere outside.

My garden, my pets, reading.

Faith and family.

Writing. And being in front of a campfire with friends and family. Reiki.

Walking barefoot on a quiet beach on a beautiful day.

Sitting quietly with nature, and flower gardens.

Being present.

The unconditional love of my family. I carry that peace within me always.

Trauma healing and meditation.

Being in nature with nothing but nature sounds.

Connecting with people I love and/or nature.

Submerged in salt water.

Sitting on the terrace watching the water.

Walking my dog along water and near trees.

Spraying passers-by with a garden hose.

My dog.

Nature, gardening, yoga, meditation.

Knowing my loved ones are happy and healthy. Working In my flower garden.

Painting, when I'm in the mood, I can paint for hours.

Nature. Hiking. Our cottage.

My Lord.

When my cat cuddles with me.

My bible and Jesus.

My perspective.

Playing with paints.

continued on page 9

9

What Brings You Peace?continued from page 8

The knowledge that I am in control of myself, maybe not the outside world and components of it, but of myself, my reactions and my actions.

I am no longer bound to the expectations of others, but of my own accord I control my destiny and those who travel with me. And my dog.

Nature, sunsets, music, writing, seeing people smiling & laughing, candles,bonfires, colouring, yoga, my peeps (aka family & friends) !

Sitting anywhere enjoying the sounds of nature, the warmth of sun and a light breeze.

A certain spot at Inverhuron park that breathes peace like I have never experienced it.

Beach, water, my kids and hubby and grand baby, reading, my flower gardens, coaching.

Being at the cottage, sitting on the deck listening to the birds and the animals awaken and begin their day.

In the summer, being in my garden, as long as neighbours aren’t out with their big ride on and/or gas push mowers for two hours. B

eing on an empty-ish beach (preferably in Hawaii) watching the ocean. Sitting down by the lake at the local conservation area listening to

the morning birds. I’m sure being debt feee would bring me peace too lol

Walking on a wooded path surrounded by tall trees. Birds singing. The sound of waves, the feel of wet sand under my feet.

My Healing Touch and Hypnotherapy studio.

My garden, the birds, flowers, wind, youth, friends, certain music and reading the Course in Miracles.

Long drives, floating in water, forest bathing.

continued on page 15

DRIVING A BuS THRouGH

youR CoMfoRT ZoNEby Sandra Wilson

I followed a school bus today and itmade me think about our comfortzones. I watched parents entrust thesafety of their children to the busdriver then wave as the bus headedoff for more pickups and the eventualarrival at school. These kids, some asyoung as 4, will get themselves intothe school and into class.

As I drove closer to the school, Inoticed parents walking their children,hands clasped tightly, and still otherparents drove right up to the schooland walked their children right in.There is no wrong way to get yourchildren to school but it does seem todepend on comfort levels of theparents.

The children who are bussed aretrusted to make it to where they needto be. They have some time betweenparental connection and teacherconnection that allows them a little bitof freedom to explore. The childrenwho are walked to school are learningstreet safety and awareness of theworld. They may have a bit of freedomto run ahead and explore while safelyguided by a parent. Those childrenwho are driven and walked into theschool have a lot less freedom toexplore, they have no time betweenparent and teacher but have a specificdirection.

When we are comfortable in ourcomfort zones, we limit our freedoms,our adventures and our experiences.Pushing through a small opening outof our comfort zone will allow us togrow and expand. Some of theseparents are allowing a bus to pushthrough their comfort zone whichprovides enough room for otheradventures and explorations.

Are you holding tight out of fear orbecause of safety? Are you keepingthings so close there is no room togrow?

Take some steps to open a crack, ahole or even a door out of yourcomfort zone and allow yourself thefreedom to move forward.

* * *

10

my adventurecalledlife

note: There will not be any sessions on July 6 and 10.

CoMMuNICATIoN

A few weeks ago, Caylee cut her hadat work and needed stitches. Everydaybefore she goes to work, she puts aspecial band aid on her hand. Sheusually leaves the band aid cover onthe counter and goes off to work. Thisis has been a great irritation for me. Afew days ago, I asked Caylee to put theband aid covers in the garbage. Sheapologized and explained the situationfrom her point, and we were able tomove on.

Then, we got into a discussion abouthow I used to be. The person I wasbefore, would allow anger andirritation to overcome me at such athing. I would have fights in my headfor days over something like this,which would make me angrier. Then, Iwould lash out at Caylee. Caylee inturn would have no idea as to what myreal issue was. The person I was backthen, didn’t know how to communi-cate my feelings. I only knew how tobe angry.

I AM deeply grateful for the growth inme, because it’s taught me how tocommunicate my feelings in a calmand loving manner, and has eliminatedthe drama!

Caylee and I still have ourdisagreements. We now discuss themopenly and honestly. I love how wehave grown and transformed our livestogether. I love learning about who IAM, and making the necessaryadjustments in order to be a betterversion of me. I love that I have learntto use my voice (something I was so

very afraid of doing in the past). Lovingyourself first and foremost gives youthe courage to be you. It also showsyou what an incredible person youreally are.

Know that it is possible for you tomake any changes you desire for yourlife too. If I can do it, anybody can.

This is Your Canadian Sister signingoff. Remember: “Self Love is just a

Heartbeat Away.”

* * *

METAMoRpHoSIS AND

SpIRIT BABIESby Christine Nightingale

When doing trance work with myfertility clients, I encourage them toask their Spirit Babies (spirits of futurechildren) what is the baby’s favouriteanimal.

There is a reason for this.

All of us are connected. Every livingthing, every robin, every rock. Imageswe see in the natural world, or in ourdreams, can therefore be importantmessages from our guides.

Aboriginal North Americans say thatour dreams can give warnings ofpossible futures; the aboriginals ofAustralia felt that Dreamtime wasmore real than the everyday world.

Spirit is in everything. A sign whichcomes from the environment-inner orouter-(not from a friend or adviserdirectly talking to you about aproblem)- is a cledon. These messagesmay be recurring numbers, licenseplates with messages, signs on trucks,overheard conversations whichaddress your issue, or animals... in anyform...live, image, statue, or stuffedanimal.

When working with my clients whohave had miscarriages, I encouragethem to look for cledons in theenvironment (inner and outer).

For example, it is believed in Japanthat a spirit between lives can take theform of a butterfly. This is notsurprising, as the butterfly is anextreme example of metamorphosis...Huge changes occur in the trans-formation from egg, to pupae, tochrysalis, to the final, beautiful symbolof transformation.

When I told this to a client, sheexcitedly told me that after her lostpregnancy, an unusual butterfly flewin to the house, landed on a curtain,and stayed for several hours. She nowunderstood that her miscarried babywas letting her know that she wascoming back.

Another client told me that as she wastexting her husband(who was in a boaton the ocean, fishing with the client’sfather) he saw a butterfly, miles fromshore, at the same time that my clientnoticed one in her garden. (Spirit canbe in two places at one time.)

Again according to Steven Farmer,PHD, author of Animal Spirit Guides,“if butterfly shows up, it means ...getready for a big change ...a new way ofbeing is emerging ...You’re goingthrough a major life transition...Youwant to put more romance into therelationship with your spouse orintimate partner...You have a profoundappreciation of other natural cycles of

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self-love is Just a heartbeat away

by Cheron Kovacs, Teacher of “Self-Love”

life/death/rebirth that occur with andaround you.”

As mothers learn to understand theirintuitive messages from the environ-ment, including butterflies whichseem to just show up, they becomemore aware of how they can invitetheir babies in, communicate withthem, and fill their needs.

* * *

REfRESH-ZING GREEN SMooTHIEby Emily Brant

Recently my daily smoothie got amakeover! When I was in Spain lastmonth, I had this “green detox juice”from a cafe that was so refreshing anddelicious I couldn’t stop talking aboutit. Not only did I enjoy drinking it butcouldn’t believe how energized andgreat it made me feel, even though Ihad started to battle a cold at the endof the week.

The juice was made from (according tothe menu) cucumber, celery, lemon,apple, and ginger. I knew immediatelythat I’d have to start making this athome. But here’s the problem… I soldmy juicer a few months ago becauseit’s big and bulky and I wasn’t using itmuch.

Juicing is great, but actually it discardsall the pulp of the fruit and veggies,which is where most of the nutrientsare! So I figured I could turn this green

“detox juice” into a smoothie, and theresults were fantastic, refreshingenergy in a cup!

you’ll Need (for 1 smoothie):2 stalks celery, roughly chopped 1/4 of a cucumber, roughly chopped1 apple, cored + roughly chopped1-2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled juice of 1/4 lemon1 1/2 cups filtered water or

coconut water optional: 1-2 scoops unflavoured

protein or collagen powder

My Method:I know what you’re thinking… “whohas time in the morning to peel freshginger and wash and chop all thoseveggies?” This is where my “smoothieprep” comes in!

What I did was buy all my produce andon the day I brought it home (Sunday)I washed and chopped it all up, peeledthe ginger, squeezed some lemon overeverything and portioned it all out intojars and containers that I can freeze.Now in the mornings, all I do is pourwater to my blender (I use a Blendtecblender but Ninja, Vitamix orNutriBullet will work well too), thenadd the contents of one smoothieprep container, add some collagenprotein and blend!

This smoothie is good for you for somany reasons. I’m not going to getinto all the health benefits of ginger,celery, cucumber etc but we all knoweverything in this smoothie is some-thing that will make your body feel

great! I find the ginger and the celeryespecially to do something magical forme and I feel so energized andbalanced when I drink this. New dailyroutine!

pICKy EATERS: Yes you, picky eater. Ifyou are totally foreign to the greensmoothie concept, and only makesmoothies that involve milk and a tonof fruit or honey, you may find this onesour or bitter at first. The ginger addsquite a bit of “spice” so you can startwith less if you are sensitive to this.Trust me when I say, you will get usedto it and actually come to enjoy it onceyour taste buds get used to thishealthier palette! At first if you must,you can add a teaspoon of honey toadd a bit more sweetness, butremember the apple has a ton ofnatural sugar. Enjoy!

* * *

METAMoRpHoSISby Lisa Browning

Metamorphosis: from the darkness ofabuse to the light of empowerment ismy own life story, but it is also thestory of so many of us, who aresearching for meaning, connection,fulfillment ... and a place in this life,that we can call home.

The book has been in the planningstages for several years now. It hastaken me that amount of time to getclear on exactly what I want to say, andhow I want to say it. My personalstory, which was published in the firstedition of Sharing: our stories, ourselves, our success, is part of it. But Ihave realized, over those years, thatthe emotional abuse I suffered was asymptom of the underlying problem,not the cause.

12

And so ... I want to take it further, andtry to create a light out of the darknessfor so many people who are strugglingas a result of low self-esteem and/oremotional abuse ... the nuances ofwhich can be so subtle, but the effectsof which are so powerful.

The book itself is scheduled to be pub-lished in June 2020, in recognition ofWorld Narcissistic Abuse AwarenessDay (June 1) and National PTSDAwareness Day (June 27).

Because this will be an interactiveproject, I will be providing a question-naire for those who are struggling withlow self-esteem or have experiencedor are experiencing emotional abuse.I am also looking for contributions(“snippets of memories”) on varioussub-topics. Contact me by email atlisa@onethousandtrees.com or senda private message on Facebook formore information.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I am very well awareof the need for anonymity in many casesof abuse. Those who choose to contact meonline can be assured that their personalinformation will be held in strictest confi-dence. No names will be provided in thebook. Those who are uncomfortable con-tacting me online, or for whom it is unsafe,can contact me by mail at:

One Thousand Trees3-304 Stone Road WestSuite 338Guelph, ON N1G 4W4

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For oh so long, I triedto break throughthe glass ceiling that held me back.

Over and over, I would get only so far,then hit the barrier I couldn’t see.

The unexpected jolt of impactand the frustration of captivityfed my fearbut also my determination

I kept searchingAsking question after questionLooking into those dark places I previously did not want to see

Then all of a sudden … one daywith one action, one phraseand one overwhelming act of gracethe answer came

With the sparkle back in my eyesand gratitude in my soul,I reached that ceilingand I broke free.

breaking freeby Lisa Browning

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The power of Telling Our stories!

Top Left: Wendy Monsinger, one of the authors in the first volume of Sharing, has presented an annual award to a deserving highschool student. Kelsey, a student at Eastview Secondary School, is the proud recipient of Wendy’s sixth award!

Top Right: Saplings author Sandra Wilson, at the launch of Sensitive Sea Lion.

Bottom: momondays Guelph June show! L-R: Rob Osburn, Michael Georgie, Karen Clark, Brenda Lewis, Lisa Browning,

Gayle Ackroyd, Andrea Lines-Botell, Robert White, Shanan Cunnington, Janet-Lynn Morrison

Hot off the press in June:eXcited Xerus, Messy Monkey, and Bravo Bear, the latest in the Emotional Alphabet Series by Sandra Wilson.

eXcitedeXcitedXerusXerus

by Sandra Wilson

Messy Messy MonkeyMonkey

by Sandra Wilson

Bravo BearBravo Bear

by Sandra Wilson

15

What Brings You Peace?continued from page 9

Walking on the beach with the waves lapping on the shore.

Not working.

Warm sunshine.

Forests. Actively participating in gratitude. Choice!

and ...

I have found that it depends on what peace looks and feels like to eachperson. For myself this can vary. Trying to obtain peace can in itself set inmotion stress and a longing to have something that I do not. Findingthings or actions that are soothing to my mind and soul are things likenature, art, breathing deeply and water. Finding myself in a long lastingconstant state of being present has come from full acceptance of all that Iam and all that there is. Sometimes it is harder to keep this as a constantand sometimes it is as easy as breathing. Perhaps at times in the past I feltthat being at peace should feel lovely and pain free. I have found that it isin all things including pain and joy as when I have been in complete trustand acceptance of the entire journey the glory of peace was found.

what brings you peace?

The Truthby Vanessa Graber

The truth, what is the truth?Is it true, the things I was taught?

Not always, just not.The truth is ours, inside of us.

Shhhh…quiet your mind.Seek inside yourself, you will find.

Be brave, be bold.Your truth is yours to hold.

Open your arms.Open your heart.

Just one step, time to start.

ALL ABouT ANGELSby Jill Michelle

June 21 was the longest day of theyear; the ushering in of summer.Summer is for resting, rejuvenating,recovering from winter and the dullspring rainy days and taking a muchneeded sigh of relief. It’s the time toget some Vitamin D from the sunshineand restore your reserves. Summer isthe best time for growing plants in thegarden and a great time for spiritualgrowth. Summer is a wonderful timefor being in nature and a great time toreceive love, peace and joy from yourangels.

Angels are all around us every secondof every day and night. Sometimesthey need to let us fall in order to learna lesson or to release some negativekarma, but whenever they can, theyhelp us to escape injury, help others,or comfort us and give us peace. Thereare no limitations to how, what,where, when and why our angels helpus. I can think of three such eventswhen my angels helped me in the lastfew days. Relating these stories toyour own experiences may help you torealize when your angels have helpedyou. It is so important to acknowledgewhen your angels have been ofassistance. Acknowledgment is likefertilizer in the garden: the more youacknowledge your angles’ aid, themore they will help you.

I recognized this angelic help only afterthe latest incident. I suddenly woke upin the middle of the night feeling sograteful to my angels for saving me

from a careless mistake while I was onthe lawn mower yesterday. The backtire got stuck and thoughtlessly Istarted to get off to figure out what todo and how to pull it out. The wheelgot traction and the lawnmowersuddenly jolted forward swinging meback into the seat as it shifted forward.I know my angels unstuck thelawnmower and threw me back intothe seat before I could do somethingthat could have been foolish anddangerous. Thank you angels, Iacknowledge you!

The second angel-assisted event thathappened was when I was riding myfriend’s horse in the forest. The horsespooked at a bicycler on a differentpath and jumped to and fro, forwardand backward. Normally I would havebeen jostled around, this timehowever it felt like my seat was gluedto the saddle. I thought at the timethat it was my great riding skills athand and was quite impressed withmyself. It was only later that I realizedthat it was my angels who had held medeep into the saddle, making thejumping around feel as comfortable asa relaxed walk. Many times we think itis us who is the doer when in reality, itis our angels who are the doers. Bykeeping a close watch on our activitiesthey are ready, able and willing tojump in and save us from ourselves.Thank you angels!

The third time my angels helped mewas when I was hiking and reflectingon some unpleasant events that hadbeen happening in my life, and feelingsomewhat frustrated and alone. Tinyblue butterflies began to flit around

me. They were so beautiful anddelicate and numerous. One of themflew with me for several minutes as Iwalked along, flitting high and low,darting left and right in front of me. Itseemed to come with a message that“all is well, and going as planned” andthat “you are loved”. Angels will oftenshow themselves to us as butterflies,birds, heart-shaped items, songs,messages from other people, feathers,dragonflies, written articles, TV orradio shows and commentaries,comedy and anything that brings youjoy, comfort, love, and all good andperfect spiritual gifts. Thank youangels, you are awesome!

Many people are dealing withchallenges that seem insurmountableor at least very difficult and draining todeal with. Often many challengescome all at once. This is to improveyour endurance and strength. Trustthat you do have the strength toendure the challenges when theyarise, and that you will overcome allobstacles because you are not doingthis life alone. You have a multitude oflight beings helping you in all aspectsof your life. Your angels are with youconstantly, helping you and keepingyou safe. In times of danger, angelsrush urgently to save you. The rest ofthe time, angels are bound by freewill, so you must ask and then theycan help you even more. Angels love itwhen you talk to them and includethem in your daily activities. Makeyour angels feel happy and valuabletoday; talk to them, acknowledgethem and open yourself to receivetheir love.

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17

The Treeby Colleen Heighington

In the corner of our yard,Was an ugly sight to see,

Three barren, broken trunks sticking out,That must have been... the tree,

So to save it from its misery,We cut it to the ground,

But then within a very short time,Life came back... and hope again was found,

Our eyes now were fixed on it,As day by day... a change was taking place,

Tiny green buds began to sprout,Giving it again... such beauty and grace,

As time went on over the years,We couldn’t believe our eyes,

The tree now fully grown... so healthy and green,Showed the world it didn’t want to die,

The birds would sing the day away,As they rested on it for a much needed break,

The tree provided food of berries for them,As they pecked away and happily ate,

All of the seasons, the tree showed its splendour,Come winter, spring, summer and fall,

The changes that occurred were amazing,And fall was the season that we loved most of all,

For in the fall... the tree loses all of its leaves,And then... appears to fall asleep,

But we know that in the spring,It will show it beauty once again,

A promise each year that it can keep,

Unfortunately, as I am writing this,The tree is no longer in our yard,

For reasons... we do not know... how very sadBut in its place...

Is a lovely garden with a bird bath, ceramic birds and a white butterfly,To remember the tree, one of God’s creations

That we once had!!

nexT mOnTh ....in One ThOusand Trees

August’s focus is photography.

“Photography is a little window to theworld that inspires me and capturesmoments that can forever bring joy.”

― Sandra Wilson

Do you have an inspiring story you’dlike to share?

If you know of any community wellnessor charitable events taking place inAugust, please complete and send usthe Event Listing form found on themagazine page of our website.

Articles are always welcome for any ofour “regular” departments ...

ConnectionsCreativity and the Arts

Food and NutritionGiving Back

Health and WellbeingThe Library

deadline for submissions is July 20.

As always, we look forward to hearingfrom you with any feedback or articleideas!

lisa@onethousandtrees.com

The Grand River flows300 kilometres throughsouthwestern Ontariofrom the highlands ofDufferin County to PortMaitland on Lake Erie.

The Grand RiverConservation Authoritymanages water and

other natural resourceson behalf of 39

municipalities and close to one million

residents.

One Thousand Trees’ target market is definedby the borders of the

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promoting practitioners,events and volunteer opportunities in thecities of Brantford,Cambridge, Guelph,

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Visit the Grand RiverConservation Authorityat www.grandriver.ca.