July 2025 Blog Prompt: What areas of your life have you seen the greatest alchemy and what “gold” came out of it?
Contributor of the prompt: *Erin Christine

What a great question to think about transformation and turning something ordinary into something extraordinary. What areas of your have you seen this? For me, in so many areas of my life.

In my 57 years on this earth I have been blessed and cursed to live in different situations. Situations and experiences that have knocked me down and experiences that have helped me to grow in strength that I did not know that I had. We all have a different story, a different background, a uniqueness about us individually. Just like our fi ngerprints, they are uniquely to us. Even more so in how we view the world, we all have our very own prescription in how we see the world through our eyes. At times it may be blurry and we seek out advice to tweak our prescription to help us to see more clearly.

If I was asked to select just one “great alchemy”, it would be when I welcomed my beloved Welsh Pembroke Corgi, Scooter into my world for 15 amazing years. My love of animals runs deep, however raising my little guy changed my world in so many ways. He taught me patience in being a “new puppy: Momma. He relied on me 100% of his entire life, never ever doubting anything that I did. Knowing deep down in his heart I would protect him and do they very best for him at all times of his entire life. I learned so much along the way of caring for him, ensuring I choose the best vet, the best food, the best pet sitters, the best toys and the list goes on and on.

How does one know you are doing the right thing for your pet/fur baby? For me it was when he was nurtured. Take about stressful, having to leave him, knowing he would be put under. How would he react being put to sleep without my being there? How would he react when he woke up, without my being there? Hundreds of questions rolling in my head. Upon picking him up at the vet and he locked eyes on me, almost jumping out of the vet techs arms to get to me, there at that moment. Then the whimpers and deep snuggles into your arms and neck, you know that this is your calling that this little one 100% trusts and will rely on your every move of their life.

Thinking back on all the wonderful years with Scooter, he was a huge part of my roller coast of life. Scooter was right by my side in all of it. He taught me to sit still when things were getting crazy in my life. In his senior years I learned of the extra care that he needed. Having to reach out and trust others that had traveled the journey of his loosing mobility in his body. Finding the right doctors to guide us in the challenges we faced. Mostly though, digging deep in my heart knowing I was doing the very best for him despite what family and friends stated that it was time to let him cross the rainbow bridge.

We can find strength in different ways and not realize how this can be “gold” in our world, that is until we take a step back and see all that we did or have done.

My little guy has crossed the rainbow bridge now, however those 15 years were all golden years for me. What a remarkable time we had and I am forever grateful to reflect on those years with him.