“One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, ‘What are you doing?’
The youth replied, ‘Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.’
‘ Son,’ the man said, ‘don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!’
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…‘I made a difference for that one.’"
The Original Starfish Story found in ”Star Thrower,”
a collection of essays by the naturalist and writer
Loren Eiseley 1978
Approaching the boy, he asked, ‘What are you doing?’
The youth replied, ‘Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.’
‘ Son,’ the man said, ‘don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!’
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…‘I made a difference for that one.’"
The Original Starfish Story found in ”Star Thrower,”
a collection of essays by the naturalist and writer
Loren Eiseley 1978
My wee little Babsie, the first pug that
came to me 2 years ago this August. She
is now 14, blind and deaf, but she's a little
firecracker just the same. And how could
you not want to kiss that face?
came to me 2 years ago this August. She
is now 14, blind and deaf, but she's a little
firecracker just the same. And how could
you not want to kiss that face?
Dear Ones,
You all have known me as Maitri, but in January I became an ordained, interfaith, non-denominational minister. I wanted to share with you the letter I am sending to all that I know as well as putting on my blogs, and the ministry website going up this week. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and for passing it along to anyone you think might make a difference. Even $1.00 means more than you know. I send my love to each of you...
You can read more about this amazing rescue (...which runs through several states on the East Coast.) by visiting their non-profit site at: Mid-Atlantic Pug Rescue.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My name is Reverend Mother Maitri Libellule, and my outreach ministry, The Maitri Ministry, is dedicated to the teaching of maitri, the teaching of loving-kindness and compassion.
One of my many goals, one dearest to my heart, is animal welfare, and I have been working with MAPR for 2 years now, and share my home with four very dear senior pugs who are my heart and soul. I have never seen a larger rescue, run so well by so very many dedicated volunteers and foster families, and the rescue, having taken in thousands of pugs to this point, some very ill or badly hurt, or needing to go right into hospice care, have medical bills so high they are really struggling.
On Facebook alone I have nearly 1500 friends and growing by the day as one leg of my "Ministry of the Heart" expands. At that rate $1-2 from each person would save more little lives than one can comprehend. This week the website and blog for my ministry will be up and will be the beginning of a worldwide ministry that will be my work until the end of my life. This fall I shall work on non-profit status for the ministry, but MAPR is already non-profit and any donations go directly to them and are tax deductible. MAPR will have a page of their own on the ministry site as the one cause I support publicly, and I hope, and pray, that if everyone sends even $1-2 we can meet this goal by the end of the year, or exceed it.
Many of you are probably wondering how a ministry can have, as it's main cause, (and there will be many other charitable works of compassion on the site and blog as well) the plight of these funny little dogs, odd looking to many, a tad alien by some people's standards, and, as my daughter said, affectionately, when she saw the first of my elderly little pugs come toddling in, "Is this what you call ugly-beautiful?" Well, this is a perfect cause for the ministry, and I will tell you why, as I will also be sharing on the website.
For many years I taught a therapeutic journal writing course called Wabi Sabi Writing. Wabi Sabi is now far more widely known than it was then, but it is the Japanese aesthetic of the imperfect-perfect. Flaws are left in precious works of art to show that life is full of imperfections and that rather than making something less valuable, the "imperfections" make them more so, and infinitely more precious. If a prize porcelain bowl worth many thousands of dollars is broken, it is pieced back together with sterling silver or gold, and the once prized bowl becomes priceless, worth much more than it's original value. We, as human beings, are often broken, in body, mind, or spirit. As we piece ourselves back together, we must come to love ourselves -- scarred, misshapen, disabled in some way, or many other hard circumstances we may have encountered.
Maitri (... and the ministry is not named for me, but for the teaching, which is why I took the name legally, to always remind me to follow this teaching as my North Star, guiding me through the rest of my life...) is the Buddhist teaching of loving-kindness and compassion, but most importantly, the root of the teaching is that we must first have compassion and loving-kindness toward ourselves before we have it to give to another. We cannot give from an empty well. It is a humble teaching, yet powerful, in it's import to our daily lives as much as the world at large. And yet we must move slowly. Each one, reach one. That is how we change the world.
My ministry opens it's arms to people of all faiths, spiritual paths, as well as those who don't follow one. As I have written elsewhere, life is not about what path you follow, or whether you sit in a synagogue, temple, monastery, or church on a Sunday, it is about how we live our daily lives, with kindness, compassion, love and the grace to always open our arms and reach out to those in need. In this sense, I think these funny, odd, adorable little pug dogs are the poster children for my wabi sabi humble ministry, and I will be dedicated to this rescue all the days of my life. I think St. Francis as well as several other Deities would agree!
I thank and bless you all for taking the time to read this, and for any help you, or someone you know, might be able to give. If you are really interested, I can help you with ideas on how to raise money through simple acts, and donate straight to the rescue. Each act of love breeds more of them. Today pugs, and this act may move you forward into many other areas that you might find it in you to help. Again, each one, reach one. It's the only way.
Warm Regards, and Gentle Blessings to one and all...
The Maitri Ministry's Fundraising Goal For MAPR:
Raise $3,000 by December 31, 2009
Click this link for more information:
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"My religion is simple. My religion is kindness."
His Holiness, The Dalai Lama
You all have known me as Maitri, but in January I became an ordained, interfaith, non-denominational minister. I wanted to share with you the letter I am sending to all that I know as well as putting on my blogs, and the ministry website going up this week. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and for passing it along to anyone you think might make a difference. Even $1.00 means more than you know. I send my love to each of you...
You can read more about this amazing rescue (...which runs through several states on the East Coast.) by visiting their non-profit site at: Mid-Atlantic Pug Rescue.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My name is Reverend Mother Maitri Libellule, and my outreach ministry, The Maitri Ministry, is dedicated to the teaching of maitri, the teaching of loving-kindness and compassion.
One of my many goals, one dearest to my heart, is animal welfare, and I have been working with MAPR for 2 years now, and share my home with four very dear senior pugs who are my heart and soul. I have never seen a larger rescue, run so well by so very many dedicated volunteers and foster families, and the rescue, having taken in thousands of pugs to this point, some very ill or badly hurt, or needing to go right into hospice care, have medical bills so high they are really struggling.
On Facebook alone I have nearly 1500 friends and growing by the day as one leg of my "Ministry of the Heart" expands. At that rate $1-2 from each person would save more little lives than one can comprehend. This week the website and blog for my ministry will be up and will be the beginning of a worldwide ministry that will be my work until the end of my life. This fall I shall work on non-profit status for the ministry, but MAPR is already non-profit and any donations go directly to them and are tax deductible. MAPR will have a page of their own on the ministry site as the one cause I support publicly, and I hope, and pray, that if everyone sends even $1-2 we can meet this goal by the end of the year, or exceed it.
Many of you are probably wondering how a ministry can have, as it's main cause, (and there will be many other charitable works of compassion on the site and blog as well) the plight of these funny little dogs, odd looking to many, a tad alien by some people's standards, and, as my daughter said, affectionately, when she saw the first of my elderly little pugs come toddling in, "Is this what you call ugly-beautiful?" Well, this is a perfect cause for the ministry, and I will tell you why, as I will also be sharing on the website.
For many years I taught a therapeutic journal writing course called Wabi Sabi Writing. Wabi Sabi is now far more widely known than it was then, but it is the Japanese aesthetic of the imperfect-perfect. Flaws are left in precious works of art to show that life is full of imperfections and that rather than making something less valuable, the "imperfections" make them more so, and infinitely more precious. If a prize porcelain bowl worth many thousands of dollars is broken, it is pieced back together with sterling silver or gold, and the once prized bowl becomes priceless, worth much more than it's original value. We, as human beings, are often broken, in body, mind, or spirit. As we piece ourselves back together, we must come to love ourselves -- scarred, misshapen, disabled in some way, or many other hard circumstances we may have encountered.
Maitri (... and the ministry is not named for me, but for the teaching, which is why I took the name legally, to always remind me to follow this teaching as my North Star, guiding me through the rest of my life...) is the Buddhist teaching of loving-kindness and compassion, but most importantly, the root of the teaching is that we must first have compassion and loving-kindness toward ourselves before we have it to give to another. We cannot give from an empty well. It is a humble teaching, yet powerful, in it's import to our daily lives as much as the world at large. And yet we must move slowly. Each one, reach one. That is how we change the world.
My ministry opens it's arms to people of all faiths, spiritual paths, as well as those who don't follow one. As I have written elsewhere, life is not about what path you follow, or whether you sit in a synagogue, temple, monastery, or church on a Sunday, it is about how we live our daily lives, with kindness, compassion, love and the grace to always open our arms and reach out to those in need. In this sense, I think these funny, odd, adorable little pug dogs are the poster children for my wabi sabi humble ministry, and I will be dedicated to this rescue all the days of my life. I think St. Francis as well as several other Deities would agree!
I thank and bless you all for taking the time to read this, and for any help you, or someone you know, might be able to give. If you are really interested, I can help you with ideas on how to raise money through simple acts, and donate straight to the rescue. Each act of love breeds more of them. Today pugs, and this act may move you forward into many other areas that you might find it in you to help. Again, each one, reach one. It's the only way.
Warm Regards, and Gentle Blessings to one and all...
The Maitri Ministry's Fundraising Goal For MAPR:
Raise $3,000 by December 31, 2009
Click this link for more information:
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"My religion is simple. My religion is kindness."
His Holiness, The Dalai Lama
16 comments:
Ministry = choosing to actively love ...
Folks who understand, will come (remember the film "Field of Dreams"?) ...
Bless you, Maitri.
That starfish story is one of huge power!
What a blessing you are to all of us. I wanted to stop over and share my response to your comment.
Oh my dearest Mother Maitri, I think you know how very much I adore you. Now how in the world could I not possibly post a badge to your site?
You always have so much wisdom to share with all of us.
I am so sorry to hear the news about your mother. No matter the circumstances losing one's mother is one of life's most difficult things to experience.
My heart and prayers are with you at all times!!
Please you take care of yourself and don't worry one little bit about me.
And kudos to you for marrying your daughter! That is just wonderful!!
The fact that you are moving forward and reaching out to give and give is the essence of a true Ministry.
I think you are simply amazing and wonderful. I am blessed to have you in my life!
Big big special hugs just for you!!
Jackie:-)
P.s. I added just a little bit more here!
You are a blessings to me always. My life has been up and down, and it is wonderful to drop in on you from time to time.
Nice, Beautiful Blog
Keep it Up Friend
Thanks
Arun Sharma
www.shayari4all.com
Congratulations on your ordination. I've been going through much this year and it feels good to be making rounds again. Your's always touches my heart. It was encouraging to read the starfish story again.
Thank you,
cc
Maitri,
The new look is fabulous and so fresh...I love it!!
Hugs,
Jackie:-)
P.S. My comment section is locate at the top right of each new post and not at the bottom!!
Happy week!!:-)
The starfish segment was short and to the point. Beautiful.
Congragulations and best of luck as you continue serving your wonderful cause. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com
It is because of people like you Mother Maitri that the world continues to have hope. You are the starfish that will make a difference to thousands and that difference will continue to tumble forward. So you see one starfish does make a huge difference in this world of indifference:)
Thank you so...for sharing this grand news with us!
Good Luck with your Animal Shelter. It truly is one of those causes that many fail to understand or value.
~D~
that is so inspiring...
i really appreciate it very much...
love, ive always been an advocate of it. nice post :)
Dropping by to say hello Reverend Mother, and hope you are having a good day and week!
hello! it's been a while...
i have a little something for you...hope you visit back and grab it=)
I like that starfish story
Wow... very inspiring.. :)
I am so happy for you Maitri, you are so blessed and you share that with all of us always. Your such a wonderful person and I am so honored that I meant you online. I also use to have a fawn Pug, but she passed last summer and that was so hard, she was our baby. She was the very first dog we ever had, I had bought her for hubby for our wedding anniversary. I hope you are having a blessed day.
God bless,
Jodi
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