Hi, I’m Hannah—founder of Wild Squatch Wellness. While it may sound like just a health program, it’s really a movement to reclaim human sovereignty: the wild, wise, self-ruling nature we were born with. Sasquatch (literal or metaphorical—you decide) is our symbol for what was never meant to be domesticated. Most of us start the journey through the body, but these Cozy Campfire Chats often wander off-trail. If you're ready to remember what your very cells already know, you're in the right place.
I posted this yesterday on Facebook (if you follow me there, you may have seen it, but maybe not…if you don’t follow me there, here’s your invitation). I posted it super early in the morning, when we had just hit the road, on our way to my husband’s first visit with his medical team at the VA Medical Center. Our expectations were low and so when the day turned out to be rather great, we were both pleasantly surprised.
The Universe was obviously rigging everything in our favor.
Later that evening, we drove to the community pool where we are camping and enjoyed what is becoming a daily routine, moving our aging joints and muscles in a slightly more forgiving environment. 30 minutes later we emerged, went back to the truck, cranked the ignition, and…
…NOTHING.
After a few clutch pumps and tries, the starter finally engaged, but it really put a damper on what had refilled our hope tank. The thought of pouring yet more money into this truck - one we feel like we’ve rebuilt, bolt by bolt, over the last three years - especially when money feels tight and dwindling by the day (I’m still looking for more stable income on my end) reversed our perspective.
Obviously, the Universe was not rigging everything in our favor.
I woke up this morning once again doing mental math: Where would we get the money to fix the truck? We have more medical appointments tomorrow, next week… how are we going to get there? When will those jobs I applied for call me to interview? The swirl of things in my waking mind has been relentless. I’ll admit - it’s so hard right now to act as if everything is rigged in my favor.
It reminds me of this classic Taoist tale:
The Farmer’s Luck —
A farmer’s horse runs away. The neighbors say, “Such bad luck!”
The farmer says, “Maybe.”
The horse returns with wild horses. The neighbors say, “Such good luck!”
The farmer says, “Maybe.”
His son breaks his leg trying to tame a wild horse. “Such bad luck!”
The army comes to draft young men but passes over his son. “Such good luck!”
The farmer says, “Maybe.”
I woke up this morning, once again, doing mental math in my head. Where would we get the money to fix the truck? We have more medical appointments tomorrow, next week…how are we going to get there? When will those jobs I applied for interview me? The swirl of things in my waking mind have been relentless, and I will admit, it is so hard to act as if everything is rigged in my favor.
That tale has also been swirling around in my mind, and the words of Jesus along with them: “Judge not…the sun shines and the rain falls and the righteous and the unrighteous.” He realized that our greatest suffering comes when we attach morality judgments to life events that happen to everyone, regardless of who and what they are. And we never know the full story of anything, do we? For all I know, that starter conked out at the perfect moment, giving us enough time to fix it before we drive another 80 miles to the next medical appointment and get stranded away from home.
Choosing our perspective is our greatest superpower; and that farmer knew how to use it. While everyone was calling good luck and bad luck, he just stood there with one raised eyebrow and said, “Maybe.” Similarly, when we practice accepting what comes as what simply what comes, we are able to navigate it more calmly and return to trusting that, even if we don’t feel or understand it at the time…
The Universe is rigging everything in our favor.
For further thought…
What’s happening in your life right now that makes you question all your choices?
How can you reframe what’s happening into a non-judgment zone?
How does that shift your emotions and your ability to make sound choices around it?
I would love to hear from you in the comments or by replying to this email - I read and respond to everything I receive.