. . . to the beat of your own drums.

Or you can join in to the sound of mine. I have had the wonderful opportunity to spend a great deal of time in the mountains of British Columbia and a lot of time on my own, seeking my identity. I was at one time, threatened by society—the demands, the expectations, and my biggest fear, the rut: that constant, never-ending, never-changing channel of existence.

Many years ago, I woke one morning wanting more out of life, but I wasn’t sure what life was, or for that matter, who I was, so I packed my knapsack and headed west to find myself, to find BawB. Well, over the years, I met some pretty down-to-earth folks out there in the woods, folks that I am sure I had met before, a life or two back, because they didn’t judge me, and they didn’t seem to mind that I was sharing their backyard. They were happy to share a smile whenever I happened to cross their paths. The residents here were my animal friends, and they taught me a lot about life—my life.

The animals introduced me to things I was unfamiliar with, spiritual things that opened my eyes to a new respect for living. I grew to appreciate the smell of life, the wonderful scent of pine in the wind, water as it flowed by me in the river, grass in a clearing that reached up for the scattered diffused light of the noonday sun. I met my spirit guide, the Raven, and it was he who led me to the path I walk today. He would talk with me for hours, sharing his wisdom, helping me to believe in myself and my reason for being me.

I grew stronger in my belief and my confidence. I began to understand that people exist to be unique. We strive to find our place, to better ourselves, and to enjoy life, but we forget how to be happy. On our journey we sometimes move at an uncomfortable pace. We are so busy keeping up we have no time to rest and relax, no time to enjoy the smell of living, the flowers, the wind. We are blinded by stress, unable to see the trees that surround us in the forest we are standing in.

Take a moment in your life, my friends, to dance. Listen for the sound of the spirit drums; walk outside and really feel the wind—it carries with it hugs from a friend, smiles from a stranger, and life. You have within you happiness that only you can reach, so find it and live as happy as you choose to be.

The spirit drums you hear today are mine that I share with you;

The drums you hear when I am gone are yours for sharing too.

🙂

BawB