Hello, friends,
One of the things mindfulness has taught me is that a meaningful life is often made up of very ordinary moments.
A quiet cup of coffee.
A walk when the leaves are changing.
Someone we love sitting beside us.
And sometimes, that someone has four legs, fur, feathers, or a habit of taking up considerably more of the bed than seems reasonable.
The animals who share our lives have a wonderful way of bringing us back to the present. They don’t care very much about yesterday’s mistakes or tomorrow’s plans. They care that we’re here.
Over the years, animals have been woven into so many chapters of my own life. Some have stayed with us for many years. Some for far too short a time. Each has been completely individual, and each has left something behind.
That has been on my mind as I’ve been working quietly on a new project.
It’s called Love, by Breed™.
I’ve created a small collection of apparel and gifts celebrating the animals we love, but I wanted it to be more than pictures of dogs and cats on T-shirts.
Many of the collections begin with a real animal and a real story.
There’s Cleo, a 12-year-old Australian Shepherd whose smile still melts her person’s heart. Tashi, the Labrador puppy who left his own mark on our family. Pookie and Boo, the two cats we adopted through Best Friends of Baker. And there are more, with many more still to come.
Perhaps that’s the mindfulness connection for me.
To really love something is to notice it.
The tilt of an ear when you say a familiar word. The sound of paws coming down the hallway. The particular place they choose to sleep. The expression that somehow tells you exactly what they’re thinking.
Small things.
Until one day you realize they weren’t small at all.
I’ve also decided that 10% of the proceeds from Love, by Breed will be donated to Best Friends of Baker, our local animal rescue organization. It feels especially meaningful because they brought Pookie and Boo into our lives.
The shop officially opened this week, and I’d love to invite you to have a look:
You certainly don’t need to buy anything. Come meet the animals, read some of their stories, and see what I’ve been creating.
And if there’s an animal or breed you’d love to see represented, I’d genuinely like to hear from you. This project is just beginning.
Thank you for being here and for continuing to share this little corner of the world with me.
May we remember to notice the beings beside us while they’re beside us.
Warmly,
Jan
Mindful Moments at Prem Valley
P.S. If you do visit, hit reply and tell me the animal or breed you think should come next. I’m keeping a list. 🐾
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