Bunny Story

It is often said that everything you need to know, you learned in kindergarten.  Recently  I was thinking that perhaps that statement is in fact true and that we need to go back into our five year old mind and find our authentic self.  When I was five years old growing up in Michigan my grandparents had this amazing Blue spruce tree in their front yard. I loved this tree from its short pointy needles  to the way the snow in the winter would perfectly cover the branches making it look like a post card.  IN the spring I would lift up the heavy bottom branches and peak under the tree to look at a bunny family    resting safely at the base of the tree hidden out of sight from any predators.  The Autumn of my  kindergarten year in school I found out my grandparent’s tree was selected to be the Salvation Army tree in down town Grand Rapids  for Christmas and the tree must be cut down.  At first I was excited because my grandparents had plans to pick me up from  school and take me with them to the dedication ceremony. As the mayor and other city officials dedicated this tree for the holiday season.  Reporters were there writing stories and  I found myself so upset…”where would the bunnies go?”  I started to cry realizing their safe home was being taken away from them. Articles came out and since I was old enough  to read I saw my name in the newspaper with the reporter saying “don’t’ worry Bethy the bunnies will find a new home” and this was the first time I can remember in my life  feeling so upset that an ecosystem was being destroyed, the animals were losing their home and that other people just did not care.

Fast forward  20 years  and I found  myself with  an environmental studies degree and caring so deeply for the world around me. Then entering chiropractic school I  expanded that love and compassion to the people around me and their well being.   The bunnies had been long forgotten until my sister came across the articles at my grandparents house and called to read them over the phone to me between classes.   The same emotions came up inside of me of that little girl in Michigan more concerned about everything else around her and willing to speak up for what she believed in.  I talked with my dad and he said ‘’Isn’t it amazing the innocence of a five year old making those comments… you are the same caring person now that you were then’’ . In that instant  I found clarity  and realized that I am living my life as my authentic self.  This required  stripping away  all my  fears, superficial ideas about myself and be able to breathe through the discomfort.  This is a super scary place for us as humans  but if we can peal those layers and years away and connect  with who we were  before our external environment influenced us creating those fears and superficial  ideas then we can live a life in which our values are pure and reflect our authentic beings.

                When I am with a patient and I place my hands on their spine it is like me lifting that branch peaking in for that instant in time at that bunny family to make sure they are alright.  When I connect with my patients I am checking in with their innate for that instant in time, delivering a chiropractic adjustment where ever there are subluxations causing interference  then allowing them to go about their lives once again in a more optimal way. My authentic self is expressed when I am nurturing the environment around  me and  optimizing others nervous systems through the chiropractic adjustment  so that their innate intelligence can take over.  Just like I advocated for those bunnies years ago I am now advocating for innate and by doing this I am  fulfilling  my potential while connecting with my authentic self.