Gailstrail

I want to slow down. Walk with me. Let us take our time.  Go someplace quiet. I’m so fortunate. I live near the foothills of Pikes Peak. There is a creek and trees and wildlife. Can you find a place? Can you make the time? Taking this kind of walk will take commitment, patience, and a willingness to contemplate oneself and the power you have. This kind of walk gives you time for discovery. It’s a walk which will allow you a place to ponder the beauty of possibilities. Do you want to go to there?

I’m making time to study myself. How do I reach the optimum potential of myself?  How do I get beyond a name?   Why should I ‘get beyond a name’? Doing so identifies how you connect. Within ourselves and without ourselves. We will hike with friends (furry or not), and those who live seen and unseen within the wilderness.

I was born in Charleston, S.C.; raised in Texas and currently live in Colorado.I spent five years at the University of Colorado (UCCS) trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life. Education. What a word. It opens the door to possibilities. Thank you UCCS! Especially my Organizational Communication professor, Pamela S. Shockley, who is now Chancellor.  I could not have achieved so much with so little without the insights she so eagerly shared.

I’ve always had a deep passion for animals, the environment, how humans interact with everything, and how our world works. I’m amazed at how our species has laid claim to every spot on earth, leaving little room for much else! As much as I enjoy a slow hike; we must move quickly to reverse this devastating trend! The green spaces and pristine environments that are home to our friends must be saved, and we need to reclaim much that has been lost. Thank you to all those who join me in this endeavor.

My efforts sometimes involve volunteering for organizations like the Catamount Institute, who are shaping the minds and hearts of our hopes for tomorrow; providing environmental science education and sustainability programs for adults, schools and businesses. I am a Sustaining member of the Organic Consumer Association (OCA). I join their efforts in campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The Way of Animals (TWA) is apart of the 50 million organic and socially responsible consumers. We are of like mind and aim to join hands in spreading the good work done by the Catamount Institute, OCA, the thousands of like minded organizations and green businesses who deal with the ‘crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children’s health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade and environmental sustainability’.

This campaign for ‘health, justice and sustainability’ is an innate desire within me. I’ve always felt a need to preserve my life and those I love. Haven’t we all? As I grow, so does my love. My love now encompasses all earths inhabitants. Perhaps this love is a genetic trait carried forward from a prehistoric survival instinct. Science fiction? Maybe, maybe not. Whatever truth I discover is shared here. My goal.  To live a life which is flourishing and energetic.  My closest and dearest challenge and responsibility is to keep my furry friends, and myself healthy. Doing so gives shinning example of ‘walking my talk’.  However, as we all know the challenge is daunting.  The ‘noise’ (pollution of all kinds) is common and widespread. I’m fortunate to have the knowledge and ability to filter much of the pollution…and I have a keen eye to what influences human life expectancy and how to avoid these influences.

One of the most exciting times in my life was when I worked in Washington, D.C. for 10 years. I worked with national environmental organizations exploring the practical implementation of their environmental concerns through organic farming; while in D.C. I worked at the Humane Society of the United States and helped in their development of their Humane Sustainable Agriculture program; coordinating with organic certification organizations, environmental groups, conventional agriculture associations; United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and university extension agencies; I toured organic farms across the country; assisted with policy analysis of the Organic Foods Act of 1990; and was delighted to set with a friend in the balcony of the Senate when this landmark legislation was passed!

Specialties:Recognizing trends; organizational communication; details, compassion, kindness and the care and communication with canines.

I’m enjoying the simple pleasure of hiking with my beautiful and beloved canines; they keep my head on straight and teach me how to be a better human being. Nowhere is Living holistically more evident than in the four-legged animal we call ‘dog’;  we have walked with and depended on the ‘dog’ somewhere near 130,000 years!

Important keys to my attaining these goals is to always remain open and to ponder the beauty of  possibility.  I believe if we create a safe and healthy space for animals, The Way of Animals will reveal a path we will want to travel as well.