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I love being Canadian. There is so much to be grateful for with our country. The issue that I have, as with so many people, is that Canadians were sleepwalking – not realizing their full brilliance and potential. The Canadian Olympic spirit started slow and then built momentum to the point of frenzy. I will admit that seeing our athletes do so well in the world stage is incredible — and winning the gold medal in Men’s Hockey on that Sunday night was beyond thrilling – it’s like a tsunami ran through us bringing all Canadians together. I also wanted to say — YOU GIRLS ROCKED IN THE OLYMPICS – WAY TO GO!!

Whether it is a country or a person, to move into your brilliance means you need to be true to who you are – as Canadians we are polite and we will say sorry — more than that we are a country that is made up of so many cultures, background and all the major religions yet we can come together and be one by tolerating and honouring these differences. That is what makes us Canadian. We need to be true to who we are – we are not Americans, we are not British, we are not Aussies, WE ARE CANADIAN. Let’s embrace this new wave of awareness and continue on this path.

I love it.

Below is an email that I received from a friend and I want to share it with you:

Wake up Canada

After watching the winter Olympics in Vancouver, the feeling of pride, images of glory, but the overwhelming feeling I got of AWARENESS is incredible. Not individual awareness, but “Country Awareness!”

Canada was recognized, not just for it’s beauty, not just for it’s people and tolerance, but as this unique place in the world. “We have arrived!”. We have a place in this world, a country founded on humanity, where we believe that we can grow to be that place that takes the lead in so many areas, health, humanitarian needs, environmental concerns and self awareness. Yes, self awareness, Canada is an amazing place.

Throughout this great land the voices are echoing that Canada is a leader in this world and this tiny population in this vast nation has arrived and we can guide, educate, cooperate and lead this planet in this new world…and it feels GREAT!
—–
Awareness and Clarity bring results. This is the path that I am following with our women, our youth and our corporate world. I am building a tribe, a movement, to see this come to fruition.

All my love,

Sandra

I have known Saskia for over a year now. She is an inspiration to me. Her article touches me for I lately have been teaching most what I need to learn: SLOW DOWN. Take note of what you are sharing, teaching, guiding … for this is likely your lesson.

All my love,

Sandra

This article was posted on First30Days site

23FEB
We Always Teach What We Need to Learn

Let me be frank: I have mixed feelings about getting up in public to speak before large groups. This should come as no surprise since the fear of public speaking tops almost everyone’s list—surpassing death itself! As Jerry Seinfeld puts it, “If you were invited to give a eulogy at a funeral, you’d rather be the guy in the casket than the one at the podium!”
But what may come as a surprise is that for almost 30 years I have made a handsome living from coaching others to speak in public—before large groups and small; before juries deliberating complex issues; in Congress; at shareholders meetings; and with clients giving keynote speeches.
My career has surprised me: I never imagined I’d have landed in the Boardrooms of corporate America, nor the courtrooms where major cases were being hashed out, nor in limousines coaching CEO’s en route to a flight, nor in airplanes, posh hotels, and on expense accounts.
The work was demanding and exhilarating. The high fees I’ve commanded, the accolades, the prestige, and the perks made my work fun and gratifying. So why, then, would I rather avoid doing the very thing I coach others in? Because staying behind the scenes was my comfort zone. Stepping out meant stepping up!
I am reminded here of a line from Woody Allen’s classic Annie Hall: “Those who can do, do; those who can’t do, teach; and those who can’t teach, teach gym!”
For years, I preferred to help others hone their message, find their passion, and convey their joy (or at least, their information). But now, it has all come home to roost, for I am on a different path, having completed a book on the subject called, More Than Words Can Say: The Making of Inspired Speakers. It is now my turn to do the lecture circuit, market my book, speak before groups, and sell, sell, sell!
For years, I dreaded the thought. I avoided it and even vowed that I’d never write a book. I kept that pledge for well over 20 years, happy to be running seminars, coaching brilliant clients to open their hearts & minds, proud as a mother hen when her children succeeded, and content to remain behind the scenes.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I never went before an audience. I had my fair share of presentations, keynote speeches of my own, and informal talks. But the thought of appearing before a huge audience, one I did not know, and speaking about my book, made me feel like a used-car salesman in a tacky, plaid suit, hawking his wares.
So, I had to coach myself. And my coaching always starts with awareness—self-awareness (the hardest kind to come by). But there I met resistance. Resistance is the dance partner of awareness. They waltz around, sometimes one leading, sometimes the other. And when resistance had stepped on the toes of awareness once too many times, awareness finally waltzed off alone.
Dancing solo is most liberating. No one else pushing you where you don’t wish to go. No one else’s agenda is besting your own. When my own awareness found its voice, I realized that speaking with others holds no fear for me. One-on-one is my medium.
Total strangers are constantly confiding in me. New acquaintances appear to be old friends. Old friends share deep parts of themselves that they share with very few others.
Small groups hold no fright either. I have been running seminars for almost 30 years. I have been in classrooms with 6 – 200. My seminars get consistently rave reviews and in some firms have had waiting lists of two years. So, you might ask, what’s your problem? Why do you resist larger audiences? After all, you know what it takes to charm, seduce, embrace, inform, and inspire? You’ve seen clients transform from boring to sparkling all the time. You’ve been there, yourself! What’s up?
Here’s the deal (and I think this applies to most people): Speaking to one or to a small group is real. You see them; they see you. You can tell if they’re listening, if they’re alive, awake, with you, against you, daydreaming, etc. You can read their body language. You can meet their eyes. You are real. You’re talking—not performing.
But when the room gets large, when the lights go down, when you are in a spotlight that says “perform,” the real you gets as shy as a nervous kitten. You loose your self-confidence. You imagine all manner of horrors. You are certain they’ll see through you and not be taken in by your façade. And you’d be right!
As long as the real you is hiding behind a façade, you cannot feel at home at the podium.
You must strip: not your clothes, but your mask. You may assume that your mask is protecting you, but in reality, it is obscuring your light. And your light is what must shine for others to be engaged when you speak.
You must reveal yourself, share your private thoughts, expose your vulnerabilities, be honest with yourself and, thus, with your audience.
The greatest awareness I gained about myself is that I am not a performer: I am, though, a very good communicator. The difference is where I am shining the spotlight of my mind. When it is directed at me, I am ripe for self-consciousness; when it is directed at another, I am open to real communion. I stop asking “how am I doing,” and move to, “Are you with me.” I stop worrying about, “Will they like me,” and start considering, “What can I offer them.”
I now know from testing the waters with individual readers and with small groups, that the book I’ve written is transformational. It is meant to take your fear of public speaking and turn it into your forte. It is aimed at all speakers—in any setting—for whom authenticity and connection are paramount. Readers tell me it has changed forever the way they look at getting up in public. It has changed the way they speak to their spouses … the way they speak to their children. It has, indeed, changed their relationship with themselves.
I could not be more pleased. And I am glad to say that although I may still feel butterflies at the prospect of standing before a large group, I have taught those butterflies to fly in formation. I also figure that if Pavarotti was always nervous before every performance, I can be too.
The difference now is that I do not see it as a performance; I see my role as a sharer. I am in the spotlight to share my passion, my insights, and my pleasure. And when I share, I am engaged in an interchange . . . I am not there all alone. My listeners are up there with me; they just happen to be a few feet away. And I’ve learned to make friends with the spotlight.
The spotlight is there to illuminate me until my own light can shine on its own.
By Saskia Shakin
Author, More Than Words Can Say: The Making of Inspired Speakers
www.TheKeynoteCoach.com
If you felt moved, inspired, touched, helped, annoyed, or anything after reading this, please let us know. Our wonderful bloggers really do appreciate your comments and feedback. It’s super easy and takes a minute. Click on comments below.
Posted by Saskia Shakin on February 23rd, 2010 in Speaking Events | No comments

I AM NOT AN ARTIST YET
I recently moved to a new home and befriended a woman on my street who I adore. We are connected through a women’s group we belong to, The Spirituelle Divas, through our interests and now mutual friends. Our children have also met and they get along.

This woman has brought a lot to my life and I know that I have touched hers as well. We both agree that this is meant to be in so many ways.

One evening in late December we were at a coffee shop and through a discussion and me mentioning that my friend is a great artist – it was suggested that she hang some of her pictures in the coffee shop. The discussion continued over the next few weeks and before my friend new it she was having her first showing.

She was excited and nervous and wondering if she was ready for this. I told her to breathe and sure enough the night before her showing in February she trekked down to the coffee shop with her art in hand. She even had a great idea to take prints of her work and sell both the original and prints. It is an exciting time for her.

She has joined a group of artists and she was telling me a story that she was out for dinner with them this week and as they went around the table to introduce themselves she started with, “I am not an artist yet”. This wise older man stepped in and said, “You are an artist, you are a starting artist”. This profound message gave a new perspective to my friend.

This message is not just for my friend, rather for EACH ONE OF US who is beginning or just starting something new – a passion or interest that may be just for fun or something that you want to turn into a business.

The point is we need to begin somewhere, likely at the very beginning. Even the most successful, call them experts, started at the very beginning, not knowing much, not having experience. It was a journey of highs and lows that brought them to where they are now.

When you are clear of who you are and what you want in your life, you begin to trust, believe and know that it will all work out! When you vibrate at this level you begin to bring more of the experiences that you want into your life and eventually time passes– one day you look back and say WOW I AM A THRIVING, SUCCESSFUL ARTIST(or whatever your passion/purpose) WHO IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE!

Exciting. As I always say — it’s baby steps, one step at a time. Surround yourself with unconditionally loving people and see your journey unfold.

All my love,

Sandra

DOING, DOING, DOING… We are a society of Doing and what I mean by that is we are so busy making things happen that we almost go into autopilot.

I ran into the supermarket to pick up fresh fish for dinner and ended up with 20 other things — sound familiar. I did have one of my eco bags with me however I had too much that my hands were full. I put the freshly packaged fish down for just a second on some packaged bread as I ordered some meat from the meat counter. This nice woman smiled at me and said, “I know that you probably are not thinking about this but my son is allergic to fish and you need to be aware where you are putting your fish. I am not buying bread today however I cannot buy that bread now as it touched the fish”. I looked at her and replied, “You are absolutely right and I am so sorry – thank you for making me aware of this”.

I was so busy DOING – shopping, thinking about making dinner, that I stopped BEING and really considering my fellow human beings – being considerate of others.

THIS IS A LARGER LESSON — SOMETIMES I NEED TO BE “HIT” OVER THE HEAD TO SEE IT
I was grateful to this woman sharing this with me for now I will not do this again.

The larger lesson given to me is SLOW DOWN. I have been so busy DOING, CREATING, DOING, PUSHING MY BUSINESS AND WORK that I was burning out. I needed to slow down. It has also been a time to clarify my passion and purpose. I needed to step back and clearly define my VISION.

I have talked about the universe sending us messages to “wake us up” – so mine came in the way of a speeding ticket, meetings being changed or cancelled for various reasons, computer problems – couldn’t print, and my central vac just stopping (ok not being able to vacuum is not so bad) and then on my way to a meeting I found myself behind the slowest car! I was still not getting it!

This week I stopped – not only was I being forced to – I was exhausted. I really took time to clear “junk” out of my head through meditation. For those, like me, meditation doesn’t come easily. Slowing my mind can be challenging. With the support of friends that do this regularly, I sat in a chair – sometimes I played music and sometimes I just sat in silence.

It really does work. I have been able to clear out some of the junk. Clarity has come. This is an ongoing process for me!

I also know that when you are clear in your intent of what you want, who you are .. are following your truth, heart and gut — you will manifest it at a much quicker rate. This is about your BEING – your ESSENCE and where you vibrate. We attract to us at the level that we vibrate — Joy, happiness, and love are the highest vibration.

Enjoy this Valentine Weekend and for those in parts of Canada – Family Day. Stop and just BE!

All my love,

Sandra

WHEN IT THOUGHT… 2009, for me, was a time of peeling away the layers. I really thought that 2010 was ‘it’ – the time for all to unfold – being part of the New Earth. While I still hold this vision and knowing, I believe that there are still layers, perhaps my deepest ones, that are coming out and really pushing me to my limit of knowing who I am.

It is only recently that I have come to understand that my heart needed more healing. I was open to dating and meeting however I only let people in so far and when I was confronted with this, I smiled and said “No, I am open to love”. Well, there is open and there is open. I feel that by recognizing this and accepting this is truly my first move to fully and unconditionally loving and honouring myself.

I have spent the last 10 or so years losing myself, reconnecting with myself, my inner child, my truth and so on that I have been working more in my male energy and I know that I want to balance this out with my feminine energy. I am very passionate about my work, my life, my children and my friends and you can “feel” this a mile away. One of my layers is “letting go and trusting” and today I am faced with this.

I met with a group of people who carry similar vision that I do regarding our children- that our children, guided by us, are challenging the current systems, and bringing about the changes we need for our New Earth. We have come together and I know that this movement is so much larger than me and my vision. I am learning to trust and know that this will move in a way that will bring about the greatest and highest good for all of us.

I am ready to do this work and I know that I cannot do this alone, nor do I want to. I welcome all the people who have come into my life. Even today, these women shifted me even more.

I call it baby steps, as the universe only gives us what we can handle. If you are one to take leaps maybe you need to step back and just enjoy each step, in each moment that you take and not “rush” to get to where you feel you need to be. We are all in the place in our lives that we are meant to.

I have been talking about the Seeds Being Planted. I know more than ever that this is true. This is the time to find clarity of who you are, what you want and how you see your life. The more clear we are the faster we will manifest, bring about, these changes. Stay open to the process for it will unfold in IT’S time frame and in it’s own way.

All my love,

Sandra

THE MIRROR IS FASCINATING I find that the movies being produced and/or shown in Canada and the US are a strong indication of where we are at. I recently saw Invictus, The Blind Side, It’s Complicated and The Invention of Lying. What struck me about all, even The Invention of Lying, is that each one was really about human nature: who we are.

I find that as we move into 2010 we are choosing to be more authentic to who we are, we are choosing what I call ‘heart consciousness’ – caring about our fellow human counterparts and compassion, we are choosing faith and hope, we are choosing tolerance for that which is different.

It brings a tear to my eye for we can CHOOSE to be this always. When I think of the Haiti crisis there has been spiritual work written about how this disaster opened our heart consciousness around the world – the idea of coming together and helping and empowering one another.

I am so excited and happy to be part of this time. While things right now do not seem great, especially in the US which is dealing with their own issues, it is the time for planting the seed for what we do want. By nurturing and fostering what we do want NOW as the seeds begin to grow the shift “is” seamless.

We can lead by example and just be. That is what I choose. You can also choose this — it’s baby steps. We can do this together one step at a time.

Enjoy the weekend.

All my love,

Sandra

WHAT DO I MEAN? Through your school years you are going to come across so many people in your life. Some you will be drawn to and some you will want nothing to do with — at least for now. I am not just talking about the kids your age, I am also talking about the teachers, principals, coaches, friends’ parents and so on that impact your life, even when you are not aware.

Again, whether you are aware of this or not, you are starting to development relationships/connections with some of these people who may be in your life for a very long time.

Take the time to learn and listen, share and guide. This is a great time to plant your seeds – explore the things you are interested in – your passion(s). Follow your heart and do what you love. Now is the greatest time for you are “risk free”. Ask questions, become part of something for you never know where it will lead you. All of this may translate into future work relationships, business partnerships, people who will connect you with others and so on.

Do this just from a place of giving and let go of “what’s in it for me”. By sharing and giving strictly from your heart you will draw to you so many wonderful people, things and experiences.

Start now- plant the seeds.

All my best,

Sandra

MAKING SENSE OF THIS?When tragedy strikes we often ask why? What is amazing is the outpouring of heart from around the world. Why do we need a crisis to bring us together? It will be nice if we can always be this way. Perhaps this time will be different.

As for putting this into perspective I hold a belief that G-d has a plan; not one that we readily understand and/or know about. I wanted to attach something that was sent to me that gave light to this tragedy in a more spiritual way:

Karen Bishop’s WINGS article, Jan. 16, 2010:

A brief note on Haiti: The massive earthquake that occurred in Haiti this week created a monumental heart opening for the planet. The pain, suffering, and tragic loss it created opened our hearts and shifted the planet, pushing it into the heart space that it will be now operating from. These beautiful and giving souls who agreed at their soul levels to be a part of this experience, have served this planet in ways unseen for a very long time. As it was time at many of their soul levels to depart, they agreed to depart in a way that would serve the planet and take it to its new and higher level. Haiti will become a very sacred space, as it already has, and this event will be remembered for a very long time. It was a part of our very new beginning, and a part that will change the vibration and direction of our new world as well. These brave, unbelievably loving and precious souls, have given to this planet more than we could ever know. They have assisted in shifting the planet into its very new way of being that involves coming from the heart, and the honor and reverence I feel for them and the many other souls involved, goes beyond words.

With much love and gratitude,

Karen
—
As our hearts have been open, let’s come together and make a difference. If you want to donate money please make sure that it is going to agencies that make sure the people will see — food, water, supplies and more.

Below are a list of agencies that you can give to:
I have gathered the names of different organizations/groups provided in the Canadian paper that you can trust your donations with.

1. The Salvation Army – http://www.salvationarmy.ca or
1800-725-2769
2. UNICEF – http://www.unicef.ca, 1800-567-4483
3. United Jewish Appeal (UJA) – all $ goes to Canadian International Development Agency’s Relief Fund. http://www.ujadonations.com,
416-631-5705
4. OXFAM – http://www.thehumanitariancoalition.ca – 1800-464-9154 -
5. CARE – http://www.care.ca, http://www.thehumanitariancoalition.ca – 1800-464-9154
6. Canadian Red Cross – http://www.redcross.ca -1800-418-1111
7. Habitat For Humanity – http://www.habitat.ca
8. Doctors Without Borders – http://www.msf.ca -
1800-982-7903
9. Free The Children – www.freethechildren.com; 416-925-5894X153

What we can do together is send love to this country, ask that the violence subside and that the people can begin to grieve and then rebuild their lives.

Stop and take a minute for this. This energy shifts the world.

All my love,

Sandra

WHAT ABOUT MY GOALS AND RESOLUTIONS… Whenever the end of December and beginning of January comes about I just sit back and listen to people talk about their goals and resolutions only to see them go by the wayside within days, weeks and if you are lucky months.

I RECOMMEND SETTING AN INTENTION VS. A GOAL AND/OR RESOLUTION.

I want to share a story. I was just at the hairdresser getting my highlites done and this woman was sitting beside me having her colour done. She was talking to her hairdresser saying that she and her girl friends (she is mid-50s/early 60s) have decided to put in $10 each every week to see who can lose the most weight and whomever does so will win the pot.

In my mind I am thinking this will not last long — someone will get frustrated, will go on a binge and feel guilty or just does not have enough awareness of why they are holding onto their weight which is very much tied into our emotional state as well as how will they begin to lose this weight.

When the women sit down each one may declare their goal:

I want to lose 10 pounds in the next two months OR I want to be in a size 6 or 8 dress by the time I go away on my trip in March OR I want to be skinny like that model in the picture.

The goal is specific, has a time frame for the most part and in their mind is achievable.

The resolution for some is “I want to be thin, I am determined to see my waistline again, and/or I want to be in that size 6 or 8 dress again.”

There are a couple of issues that I have with this, first off the goal and resolution, while specific is really about the DESTINATION and it is the JOURNEY that will bring about their awareness of potentially why they are holding on to the weight, what are their core beliefs around the weight, perhaps it was something in their childhood – a belief that they had to finish everything on their plate even when they were not hungry for they were told there are starving children in the world – and this belief has been so ingrained in them that they subconsciously eat. Perhaps the person finds out they are emotionally eating because they are not happy with things in their life, and so on.

When we are STUCK in going from point A to point B we can become tunnel vision and just do everything in our power and belief to get there. It may mean that the person loses the weight however does it in a way that is not healthy, has compromised their health, and/or loses the weight only to find within 6 months they have put back on the weight plus more.

I look at INTENTIONS as the journey. I sat down in December and wrote out my intentions: what I want to achieve this year and broke it into three areas. In this, I specifically wrote out what I want.

For example if one of my INTENTIONS is to lose weight I may write it this way:

INTENTION: To learn to love and honour my body and accept it where it is. By doing so I can begin to look from within and discover what I am holding onto that is no longer serving me and then begin to release and let go. As a result of this I am letting go of weight that has been sitting with me for years.

To do this I will begin to eat healthy and make good choices for my body. I will exercise 2 to 3 times per week for 30 minutes or I will walk in my day as much as I can. I will choose water and allow myself 1 coffee a day. I will go to bed so that I can get 7-8 hours per night. I realize that my body is my temple and I will treat it as such. When I eat I will enjoy the moment. I learn that everything is about moderation and learn to enjoy the sweets that I love in smaller quantities. For the days that I “feel out of control” I will accept it, embrace it and honour it and then FORGIVE AND LET GO. What happens in the past cannot be changed I only have the moment – in that moment I will continue to make good choices.

By looking within I am journaling how I am feeling. I realize that I am an emotional eater so I track my emotions. As I let go of certain things I begin to be in the moment and be happy and enjoy my life. I can look in the mirror and see an incredible woman who is about love and nurturing – starting with herself and then others (family, friends, co-workers).

This is an example of something I may write. I can go on .. What I share is someone who also wants to lose 10 pounds however by using this method it is baby steps and it is a process of awareness that allows you to learn to love and honour yourself, know who you are and why you have made certain choices. It allows you to take responsibility and accountability for your choices and outcome. I can tell you that the result will likely be that you grow, become happy with who you are and as a result begin to lose the weight that you have held onto all these years. So here is the question – what really had the most impact, the journey of awareness that allowed you to remember your greatness and shift your beliefs and paradigms or the destination: losing the 10 pounds?

You can decide for yourself. I am only making a suggestion. Take what resonates and leave the rest.

May all your dreams come true for you – - you deserve it.

All my love,

Sandra

THIS STORY TOUCHED MY HEART I am part of a group of spiritual women called the Spirituelle Divas. I received the latest newsletter, which I contributed. As I was reading other’s work I came across this story. It was so beautiful — talks about loss and in spite of this, Lynda Fishman, through choices and baby steps, is able to find a rewarding life.

We are upon the New Year and we can set our intentions of how we want to live our life. I will deal with this next week. In the meantime, read what Lynda has to say about her experience and take what resonates!

Rescue Others – Rescue Yourself
Air Canada flight 621 crashed on July 5, 1970, killing all 109 passengers and crewmembers. My mother and two younger sisters were on that plane. I was 13 years old.

The flight from Montreal to California had a stopover in Toronto. One of the pilots attempted to operate the lever controlling the air brake while the plane was still 60 feet above the runway. The deployment of the ground spoiler system resulted in the aircraft losing its lift and subsequently crashing to the ground.

At the age of 44, my devastated and immobilized father buried a wife and two young children. He then simply continued to exist, overcome by grief and intense sorrow, in a state devoid of hope. His spirit was gone but his clock continued to tick. He never recovered.

At 13 years of age, I was faced with the ominous responsibility of a father in a complete state of despair, a house to take care of, and what felt like hundreds of well-meaning relatives and friends telling us exactly what to do and how to proceed with our shattered lives.

My life completely collapsed around me. Hope seemed so far out of reach, but I took baby steps. I refused to give up. I never let go of my hope and faith in the future. Somehow, I intuitively believed that despite the pain, I could make some good choices, write my own story, and create my own journey. At every juncture, I had to decide whether to succumb to or overcome the sorrow. You always have choices. You can give up or you can go on. I chose to go on. I chose life. We always have choices.

I am in the final editing stages of my book entitled “Repairing Rainbows” which I hope to have published in March of 2010. My intention was not to write a depressing book about tragedy and loss. It is an inspiring story of an unusual and challenging journey from lost childhood to rewarding adulthood. It reveals a positive and determined view of ‘life’ with highlights of the insidious nature of its nemesis – death – in all its guises. There is a crucial difference between ‘truly living’ and the existence that is so often mistaken for being alive.

I wrote about what I feel are important lessons to help others overcome struggles and obstacles, and fulfill their lives. My hope is that by sharing my heartbreaking, yet triumphant story, others will be uplifted; that my journey and untiring search to bring positivity and meaning into my life and knowing that we always have choices, will help others overcome the struggles and obstacles of their lives.

I have learned through the years that one of the most effective ways of dealing with a difficult situation is to be busy or distracted. Too much time to “think” can be very dangerous. The greatest gift we can give to ourselves is a project or activity that keeps us busy and is extremely pleasurable at the same time.

A few months ago, after our camp season was done, someone left a box of young kittens on the side of the road that leads into Adventure Valley. Since there are no coincidences in life, I believe it was meant to be that someone just happened to walk by and heard the kittens crying in the box. Next thing I knew, I was at the Vet with three young, healthy and adorable kittens.

I saw this as a gift from the Universe – a wonderful thing to be busy with and an opportunity to make a difference. It is also remarkable how animals have such a natural ability to show gratitude and appreciation. My Vet told me that there is a desperate need for foster homes for young kittens, and that because of the shortage of foster homes, healthy kittens are being euthanized every day.

We immediately transformed my daughter’s bedroom and adjacent washroom into a kitten nursery – litter box, food and water bowls, a cozy pet bed and plenty of toys. The kittens required a lot of time and attention, but they were an absolute joy. Within a few weeks they were chubby and old enough to be adopted. We found wonderful homes for them and have heard from the families that they are precious and cherished pets.

We have since then become an official kitten rescue home and received a new litter of four very young kittens that were found in a box outside of PetSmart. We bottle-fed and litter-trained these tiny kittens, and have watched them grow and develop into absolutely adorable and affectionate little pets. They love playing together and zooming around chasing each other. They are in great health, fully litter box trained, playful, cuddly, entertaining and very social. They love lots of attention! We found a wonderful home for one of them, and are now trying to find a home for the other three. Two of them are extremely bonded to each other so keeping them together in one home would be best for them. It is a delight to be busy looking after these kittens and I look forward to finding wonderful homes for them.

If you are interested in adopting one or two kittens, or in becoming a kitten foster home, please let me know,
Lynda@adventurevalley.ca (Lynda is based out of Toronto, Canada)
By Lynda Fishman

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