Tag Archive for: togetherness

Letting go of the “rescuing” role

Dawn breaks and one just never knows what “gifts” await us.

I was standing atop a sand dune expressing my gratitude as the sun rose. A lady’s voice… “What do you think we should do?” she asks.

Oh, she was talking to me!
A seal was washed up on the beach with an outgoing tide. I noticed myself go into “rescue” mode. Let’s do this. Let’s do that.

Oddly, there was an uncomfortableness with trying to find all the options in order to “save” this most adorable creature.
There was also an uncomfortableness, in me, about the responses from rescue centres the lady tried calling, who advised to just let nature take it’s course.

Over breakfast, something stirred inside me.

A burning desire to simply lie beside this, now named: Arctic Fur seal (who was, apparently, 2000kms out of it’s territory).

So, I rugged up and nestled in beside this peaceful being.

The morning lady was gone.

Passers by seemed to not notice anything beyond their own focus.

So it was just the Arctic Fur seal and myself… like we were the only beings on the entire planet!!

We looked into each other’s eyes many times. I talked. I lay. It breathed slowly and moved infrequently.
It’s whole being seemed totally accepting of whatever was. No fight.

As we lay close to each other, I came to see the beauty in accepting. I accepted it and it accepted me .. that much, that I lay close enough to caress it’s back. There was talk, silence, listening and breathing together.

Every time this seal opened it’s eyes, we somehow saw each other as our eyes danced together.
Had we met before?

As the cold winds began to reach my core, and after many hours of our time together, I felt it was ok now for me to leave.
I expressed my gratitude for the magic of the gift of this Arctic Fur seal and our togetherness.

This is at the heart of BACKinTRACKtion. Meet myself and other beings where we are all at. No push to change. No desire to rescue.

I pose the question: Where do we step in to save others, particularly our own kids, when actually it may be stopping them from experiencing what they need to grow within themselves? 

Curious to learn more?

Listening with curiosity, one key to all communication.

How easy it has been for me to judge other’s behaviour. Noticing that this often brought disconnection with the other, and an uncomfortable feeling running through me. Being on a journey of unpacking what judging others has given me, I explored what could happen if I trusted rather than controlled.

Last week in a PE class with Prep students, I had the honour of being part of “Listening with Curiosity”. No judgement, meant no right or wrong, just a level of understanding from all involved, and an outcome that we all enjoyed.

Teaching the junior students is often filled with many littlies calling my name for so many different reasons. This day, I noticed a feeling of frustration building, created by the many interruptions taking me away from being present while a student was learning to ride a bike.

Upon my name being called again … I turned and asked this little girl, “Is it important?”

She replied with a “Yes, this boy (who shall remain nameless) kissed me”.

I noticed the worry in her eyes.

Asking the rest of the class to help us out by packing up all the sports equipment, gave this boy and girl the space to face each other and a “Listen with Curiosity” moment was created. From that, connection and understanding.

Girl: “What is your good reason for kissing me?”

Boy: “I really like playing with you.”

Girl (whose eyes lit up): “Oh … well I really like playing with you too.”

Silence for a moment – taking in this awareness.

Boy: “How did you feel when I kissed you?”

Girl: “I felt scared. You have germs and you kissed me, and now I have germs and now I am not going to see my friends again, because I am going to die because I have covid.”

By this time, the girl is on the edge of tears.

The 3 of us sat in stillness taking in her fear.

After a moment my intuition guided me, acknowledging her fear, I asked: “Do you kiss your mum or dad?”

Girl: “Yes, of course I do. But they don’t have covid.”

I responded to this with: “How do you know?”

The girl’s eyes seemed to sit in contemplation. Something shifted in her awareness and perception of the situation we all found ourselves in.

Girl speaking to the boy: “Next time you want to kiss me, could you ask me first. Now let’s go help pack up.”

My heart sang pure joy …. because in that moment I was filled with immense gratitude for the art of “Listening with Curiosity.” A vital part of clear communication. A key to connection.