Choose Love Over Fear
Pocket Ranch Institute News
Dear Friends of Pocket Ranch,
Has life speeded up? Or is it just life at Pocket Ranch? I’ve heard it said, “one thing that doesn’t change is change itself.” It’s certainly true here.
We are still in the midst of remodeling. The newly renovated dining room is lovely, the lodge will be more open and spacious, and the bodywork complex is wonderful, sauna and all! Learning to live with all the activity, however, tests our patience and fexibility, as well as giving us many daily opportunities to cooperate in a challenging situation.
Our Board of Directors has also recently expanded and, like the remodeling, the Ranch is blessed by these changes. The Board of Directors January weekend welcomed Kate Sater, Steve Donovan and Bob Huseby as new members. Kate is a political consultant in Sonoma County, has a background in child development and is a STAR graduate. Steve, a resident of Marin County, was President of Esalen Institute for seven years and is currently on a personal sabbatical. Bob is the CEO of a major hospital management corporation in Nashville, TN, and his wife Christa is a STAR graduate. Board Members Dr. Tony Elite, Kenneth Pelletier Ph.D., and Diana Barrett have been with us since the beginning. As always, their creativity and enthusiasm is greatly appreciated. I feel honored to be a part of this group and was touched and inspired by them all.
Another change is in our application for a Psychiatric Health Facility license for the residential program at the Woodlands. This should greatly increase our ability to receive insurance coverage. Tony Madrid, Ph.D., and his staff have been working for months on the reams of details and paperwork. I’m so glad I don’t have to do that! State bureaucracy is unbelievable to me. Maybe bureaucracy is something that doesn’t change.
The work of the Ranch remains constant in spite of all the changes. Fortunately, good therapy and caring staff aren’t dependent upon everything being neat and tidy. The heart of the vision of the Ranch is to provide sanctuary and support for those who come here in pain or for personal renewal.
There is a peaceful possible outcome even to living in a construction zone! The buildings change. The staff changes. The clients change. But the spirit of Pocket Ranch remains the same. I get many letters and notes from people thanking me for the healing work they experienced while here. It’s very touching and gratifying. I know that gratitude and thanks belong to everyone who has given time, money, skills, good thoughts and energy to help make Pocket Ranch a reality. So whenever I receive appreciation, written or verbal, in my mind I share it with all of you. Speaking of appreciation, I want to thank those of you who responded to our donation request last November. We received over $60,000! Your response is fabulous and our Scholarship Fund has been greatly enhanced.
Last night I heard yet another program about youth and violence. This quote stuck in my mind: “The United States will continue to face juveniles with guns in their hands and nothing in their eyes”. This was followed by a young man laughing about how scared his victims were...that they were “even crying” When will we learn that babies who are wanted, loved, and cared for do not grow up hating the world? From the womb, each one learns lessons of fear or love, trust or mistrust. Broken hearted children seek revenge. If we are concerned about the violence in our society, we must begin at the beginning. No baby should be born unwanted and uncared for. When young children do not see love reflected back to them, their eyes do become empty. We all pay the painful price. Please support programs of pre-natal care and planned pregnancies.
Having Pocket Ranch continues to teach me to choose love over fear, faith over despair and to trust rather than mistrust. The opportunity to choose doesn’t change! I believe in miracles.
I hope this year brings you good changes and many opportunities to choose again. And may you all walk with a lighter step on our Mother Earth.
Lovingly,
Barbara
