Month: June 2023

Knowledge of What’s Around You

~ Natal Galvan

Awareness. It’s not a skill many people have. I would go as far as to call it a gift because for some I don’t think it could be taught. It is something so common and present, because awareness just is, yet most of your everyday people don’t seem to grasp it, let alone execute it.

In a society in which we are continously moving from one thing to the next, all of which is selfishly acted upon, how could one be aware if the only focal point is that of yourself? Now don’t get me wrong I believe in being selfish. I believe that because people aren’t selfish enough, that is why we find so much anxiety, depression, stress, and inadequacy among people today. But one can be selfish and still be aware. I do believe that awareness will not only give you a bit of a leg up in life in some cases, but will also help avoid unwanted situations. Not to mention people have a level of respect for those who are aware.

Countless frustrating situations could be completely avoided if at least one person would have been aware in any given situation. By being unaware you’re more at risk to find yourself in an unpleasant situation, not only for yourself but others as well. It has the potential to help us through even during the most mundane of events, to those that are more life altering. By being present and aware, we are able to maneuver around life with a bit more ease.

To bring a bit more awareness into my life I took up meditation, and although thats been a bit of a struggle, I can already see a difference in myself and how I handle most situations. Since I’ve been working hard on that, I now see it more often the lack that there is of it within my peers. It’s not my journey to go around preaching the power of awareness. Not at this time anyways. I myself am a student still diving into these lessons, but one cant help to naturally notice that there is a lack of it in society. It’s not heartbreaking. Like I mentioned earlier, everyone has their own journey and we are each at various different stages in our growing process. I have faith that little by little the world is awakening to new ways of thought and in that, they’ll unlock their own sense of awareness.

The New Addition

~ Natal Galvan

The Universe has gifted me a new furry friend. Her name is Margo, named after one of my most favorite movies, Fargo, and I’ve had her now for a couple of months. She started as a foster and as we all grew to love her, especially my sister’s pup, I saw no other choice but to adopt her. It came at a great time, too, because next month is the commencement of the anniversaries of so many losses last year. I lost four very important souls to me, two of which were closer to me than anything else in the world. One passed away on me due to old age. One passed totally unexpectedly only after 6 years of being apart of my life. Another died due to a long battle with disease, and the fourth passed by choice, alone in summer Florida woods, only to be found months later by an unsuspecting wanderer.

Last year was riddled with unease for me. It seemed as though one month after the next after the next there was something for me to brace for. It is of no surprise as to why as time went on, I slowly started to pull away, to find peace in solitude. Some say that misery loves company, and where I do see that being true in most cases, it was not true for mine. Misery, for me, calls for alone time, solitude. I don’t care to be around anyone else but myself in order to work out the issues that I am going through. I’ve never been one to speak of any personal negativities, and I leave the come up stories for later on in life. I don’t like calling attention to myself or situations that I find myself in especially those of sorrow. I’m not one to push my sadness or worries, stresses and frustrations, on to others. My journals work for me as an outlet to work things through. My furry friends work for me in ways of emotional support. They’re unconditional love and loyalty is so great that it wraps me up in a warm blanket leaving me feeling cared for.

Margo is a 2 year old mixed breed from Georgia with only Chihuahua being what we know of her true make up. Funny because I’ve always disliked Chi’s and have always said to myself that it would be the last dog breed on Earth I’d buy into. Talk about manifesting and attraction!! But that’s a totally different topic to write about. Although Margo had to leave behind her 8 puppies, she has brought so much love and spunk to this home. Shes become my little buddy. I couldn’t be happier, and by the looks of it, neither could she.

Keeping Quiet

~ Natal Galvan

“Most men are so thoroughly subjective that nothing really interests them but themselves. They always think of their own case as soon as ever any remark is made, and their whole attention is engrossed and absorbed by the merest chance reference to anything which affects them personally, be it never so remote.” -Arthur Schopenhauer

I read this quote and I immediately thought of myself. It is true, that when those around me are tellibging their tales, my brain can’t help but attach personal stories to the words they speak. It’s almost like I’m bursting at the seams, yet trying to be patient, waiting for them to finish, just so that I can participate and share my own experiences. But why? Why is it that we have such a need to intrude on other people’s moment? Maybe not so much intruding, but that urge of sharing.

I’m slowly learning that not only do I not have to always share my own stories, but I also don’t always have to offer up my advice. I’m learning to speak a lot less. If someone is genuine and wanting any of these from me, then they’ll ask. I’m noting that by allowing others to speak freely without interruption from me, they obviously share more. The less I speak, the more I learn about them.

Another true point is the less I offer up, the less I feel rejected. I can’t mention how many times, while trying to participate in a conversation, my comments go unacknowledged. It’s never a good feeling when you feel like no one’s really listening to you. But again, without allowing for those to ask me, I’m only putting myself out there for a possible rejection.

People love to talk and in their world it’s about them. So I’m learning to speak less. As an observer I absorb much more by doing that, which is doing nothing, only listen. It’s incredible the amount that you learn about others or your surroundings by simply keeping quiet.