Jessica Stover 0:05 This recording is an offering of Networks for Training and Development online university. Rosa McAllister 0:17 Hi, everyone. This is Rosa McAllister from Networks for Training and Development incorporated. And we are here for another wonderful installment of Muck to Mojo. A Podcast Series just started in January of this year, and Today is May 24 2021. And we started this with the Northumberland county Pennsylvania trauma committee as a way to help all of us remember that we're not alone, number one, number two, that we all go through some muck, and number three, that we still have our Mojo, even when it's hard to remember and tough to find. But through our companionship and through our strengths together and our strengths within, you can always find it. So Lauren's going to help get us started today with another one of her readings, or two or three - you never know - from her magic deck of cards, and then she's going to pass it back to me. So go Lauren, thank you. Lauren 1:21 Thank you, Rosa. You're right I - as usual, I had a hard time narrowing it down to just one. So I did pick two, it's kind of in the past, there's one that is something that you could - you could do it right now wherever you are more than likely and the other one is a little more sort of like a homework assignment. So hope that you will enjoy the two that I picked today. And the first one, the one that I said some probably something that you could even just do like, right wherever it is that you are, at your desk or you know wherever it is that you're doing this podcast, and it's called stretch yourself. Can you recall being limber enough to do back bends as a child? Can you even touch your toes now, stretching from head to toe is a great way to start your morning or to unwind after a long day. Anytime of the day stretching is great for relaxing and rejuvenating your body, mind and spirit, and what more can you ask for? Stretch slowly, so it's not to pull any of your muscles. For more complex stretches try taking a beginning yoga class. So just something to kind of keep in mind, something very simple that it just takes you and your body to relax throughout the day, just do some simple stretching exercises. So not to be anything complex, but just remember to stretch. So that was the first card. Lauren 2:53 And the second one - like I said the one that's a little bit more like a homework assignment is called relaxation in a box. Create a box that you can take out whenever you need peace of mind. Put items in the box that evoke relaxed memories and feelings. Contribute a shell from that wonderful trip to the coast, a picture of your pet or a note of encouragement from a special friend. Sometimes relaxing, can be as simple as re experiencing a happy memory. And that brings me to the end of my second card, so at this point I will pass it back to you Rosa. Thank you. Rosa McAllister 3:42 Thanks so much, Lauren. My gosh, thanks You Lauren 3:46 Absolutely. I hope everyone enjoyed. Rosa McAllister 3:49 I took a nice long stretch. Lauren 3:52 It's something so simple isn't it it's a simple thing. But - Rosa McAllister 3:56 I know. I remember a while ago, one of my beloved co workers used to look at me and say, "Rosa, Rosa, where are your - where are your shoulders?" I was like, "What?" And then oh, right, because when she would say that to me they were usually up around my ears in my stress position. And so that was this visual, auditory reminder, get your shoulders down and I pull them down. And right away, it would be like oh, yeah, right. And it would allow me to breathe, just like with a good stretch. Sometimes it opens you up to breathe. Lauren 4:30 Mmhmm. Rosa McAllister 4:31 Thanks so much. And I love the box, I love that. Don't we all in some ways have a box and in fact, in these days that leads me right into what I wanted to talk about today. This past year or however long it's been, we've been - and I don't know maybe you're listening to this in the future because these are recorded and going to be available really soon the collection of these Muck to Mojos so maybe you're listening to this in three to five years or who knows what - or for those of you that are here with me today. This past year, we've been dealing with the pandemic. COVID originally started being called Coronavirus and COVID-19, because theoretically it started in 2019. Rosa McAllister 5:17 It's 2021 now, we've been dealing with this for a long time, and many of us in lockdown or variations of being at home, stay at home orders, locked down orders, away from families not able to hug, and how many of us created at our desks - as we became virtual beings for work for family events, for weddings, and graduations, and even funerals? How many of us created our own little box at our desk, maybe some things that we always had there. But even more so in this past year? Well, there's a sameness coming out of COVID, and these lock downs, and this past year and several months now that some of us are talking about more and more. Rosa McAllister 6:04 And hopefully all of us have experienced not just the stress, not just the issues, just not the whatever, but also the blessings, the idea of what's being called COVID blessings, the blessings that have come out, kind of surprisingly, out of this year after this lockdown after this horror and fear, and everything else, this time of quiet. So we've heard about - you know, and read about dolphins coming back in Venice. And we've heard about - what was it cougars in Los Angeles, and bears and other things, and I live in this amazing, beautiful place of Maui, Hawaii, and without tourists here, we had so many more turtles on our beaches just relaxing, because they could, and monk seal swimming up and resting on the rocks or the beach. Various other things, we started noticing our reefs, which are the food source from the Honu, or sea turtles and others, our reef started coming back more. These COVID blessings that some of us who are introverts found like, relief we didn't have to make up excuses for not joining a party or not going out or wanting to just stay home, we could just be ourselves. Those of us who are more extroverts - some of us at least have found that it wasn't so awful, actually staying home all the time, and not running and ripping and doing all the time. There's certainly have been tons and tons of stresses with COVID, and fears and worries, and losses. Huge, huge losses. But there also have been blessings. Rosa McAllister 7:59 And so I wanted to talk with you a little bit about a couple of my COVID blessings. And I want you to think about yours. So one of my COVID blessings is that, number one, I live in this magical beautiful place. And even though many of friends and others were out of work, my work continued somehow. And I was incredibly blessed with the honor of being able to continue to be of service to others, even though it's a little different than before, was a little bit more virtual, it was a little bit more distant, not as close. But nonetheless I could continue. I was extremely blessed to be able to go outside. Even when we were under the strictest of lockdowns, I could still go outside and it was warm and beautiful. I still had my plants and my things that I normally do. But I also had one incredible other luxury or blessing. Rosa McAllister 9:03 My son and daughter-in-law live here on Maui as well, and they're both teachers, and they needed to continue to teach virtually, but nonetheless teach. And I also have two amazing grandkids Ethan and Olivia. And when they were both babies, I babysat them or really played with them a couple of days a week while Megan and Michael were at school, Ethan first for several years and then Olivia when she came four years later. And this was some of the best times for me to play with two year old or whatever, and I could still work - but to play. So during this COVID time, one of the blessings was Michael and Megan needed to get back to work and teach or continue. And Ethan and Olivia needed to continue to teach - or not teach but to go to school, but it was all virtual. And so Tutu Rosa - which is me - got to take the kids a couple of days a week for Tutu's Virtual School, & Restaurant - as I added on later, because I became their short order cook on the days they're here - hungry growing kids. Rosa McAllister 10:16 And one of the things that we did while Ethan and Olivia were here with me two or three days a week for virtual school and food, is I wanted to build in some other things that we could do together. So on recess, we'd go swim in the ocean, or in the pool, or we'd go exploring on the beach, I got them helping me make some essential oils, I got them helping me with my orchids, and growing some other things. And another interesting thing that happened for me during this time is I wasn't traveling, like the rest of us, which is unusual for me, because I usually travel a fair amount during the year. So here I was at home with these two amazing kids who are also very busy 13 and 9 now, and wanting really hard to focus on fun, and beauty, and giving back and being of service. So because I was home and not traveling, and because the kids were here with me, I started a couple of newer projects, Rosa McAllister 11:23 I expanded my flowers, there were only nine of us living on my property. I live in a condo. And it's a small group of apartments. But nonetheless, it's usually bustling with people. But there were only nine of us living on property. So I started growing more vegetables, and I started placing planters flowers around the property. And an interesting thing happened as I started placing flowers, more flowers around the property, and going about watering them every day, is people started coming out and talking about the flowers, and talking about what they could plant or what they could do. And I also started noticing more butterflies, a lot more butterflies, monarch butterflies in particular. Rosa McAllister 12:11 And so that led me into another quest or activity, which turned into a huge COVID blessing. And that is raising monarch butterflies. So if you're a friend of mine on Facebook, I've - sorry - probably bored you with my amazing photos of butterflies and caterpillars. And this journey. Just this morning, I woke up extra extra early, not just be here with you, because I'm six hours behind you. But also because I needed to release five monarch butterflies that were born yesterday. Whereas we say eclosed came out of their chrysalis. And I needed to do that today. Because a day after within 24 hours after they're born, they have to eat. So you either have to feed them. Or you have to let them go to find their flowers and the nectar. And I also needed to release them today, this morning early, because I had four or maybe five more that we're about to be born. So right now I have 23 caterpillars in chrysalis, or what we used to call cocoon becoming butterflies. Rosa McAllister 13:32 So what I thought this would be this raising monarchs, I thought it would be fun, I thought it would be cute. I thought it would be interesting. I thought, Oh, the kids will do this. But oh, it'll be just a couple of weeks. All of this, I say has been fun and cute and interesting. The kids have helped. But they're only here two or three days a week and the caterpillars and butterflies are here every other day. And there's a lot that needs to happen. Just like anything else in life. So what this has turned into is I'm learning that they are dependent upon me, just like babies, and I'm responsible to them. Not only am I responsible to them, I'm responsible for them. I have to get up, I can't sleep into they, their poop needs to be changed. What I'm also learning is they are very fragile in their various stages, the caterpillars and the butterflies. And if I'm not careful, they'll die. They're that fragile, and yet they're also incredibly resilient, incredibly resilient, just like us. I've also learned that little milkweed plants that I started are not enough to feed them and I've had to find more food for out and about. So it's not unusual to see me on the side of the road or in a field, cutting milkweed leaves or branches and putting them into wet paper towels and into baggies. I drive around with baggies now. And wet paper towels and my shears my cutting shears. So that when I spy milkweed, out and about, I can cut some and bring it home for the babies, because I have to keep a supply in my refrigerator. Or otherwise they'll go hungry, but I can now spot milkweed at a distance, let me tell you, and I now knowing some of you who know me won't be surprised. I have a little map of Maui and my usual driving paths. And I have marked down where the milkweed bushes are, where I can find them. They need your flowers even more. And so I planted even more flowers around the property. Those of you who know me know that I grow lots of orchids, but they don't see the monarchs. So I've had to expand my repertoire. So there's flowers everywhere, pots of flowers, all over the property. And part of my morning ritual is not only feeding the caterpillars, and cleaning up the poop and releasing butterflies or watching the miraculous process of them chromatic chrysalis, but it's also going around and watering the pots of flowers with my beautiful little watering camp. So I'm kind of like the property fairy as one of my neighbors called me. Early in the morning, sometimes in my PJs, I'm wandering around the property with my watering can. And I'm seeing even more butterflies and geckos and lizards. And now we also have swallowtail butterflies because our citrus trees I worried would they propagate? I had no idea. I kind of knew the process with monarch butterflies and caterpillars, but I didn't really and I didn't want to dive in and studied it, study it beforehand. I wanted to learn as we went along. I wanted it to evolve. I wanted it to be an adventure with Ethan and Olivia. But guess what? Rosa McAllister 17:17 It's turned into much more of an adventure with me. And the learnings have been amazing, amazing. Oh, my goodness, do these caterpillars eat and poop a lot. schedule is not what it used to be doing some yoga, and stretching as Lauren suggested out on my Lanai or patio. I've kind of been shot the Hell, I start up and I have to jump up and get going and feed and clean and water and I'm not complaining at all. It's the best yoga. It's the best medicine. It's the best way to start a day. They grow so fast. I didn't know this about caterpillars. I remember the wonderful book that I read a lot with Ethan and Olivia Hungry Hungry Caterpillar. Where it eats needs, needs needs. It needs, needs, needs meets needs, which is true. But they grow so fast. caterpillar's that their skin can't grow with them. So they shed their skin like five different times. And typically they turn around and eat it. Like they did their egg when they came out of their egg. It's their protein that they do. How efficient how self sufficient are they? Rosa McAllister 18:35 Again, they're fragile, yet strong, cute and funny. And they have personalities galore. And we've named many of them. And the biggest lessons for that I've learned is that life really is fragile. Sometimes there's a pandemic. Sometimes we're locked in sometimes we can't even hug or see those we love the most. Sometimes we're really sad. Sometimes we lose people and sometimes in great numbers. And sometimes we're called on to go deeper into ourselves even when we're our saddest and try to find some beauty. Butterflies only live after all of this process and all of this caretaking and all of this loving butterflies may only live five to six weeks. And you know what? They give so much joy and beauty and love different places where you see the image of a butterfly. I'm involved with hospice here on Maui, and our symbol is a butterfly. How many other places do you think? Or do you see an image of a butterfly and maybe you'll notice even more or maybe as you're out and about you'll notice more butterflies around you pretty Kimberly, if it's springtime, as it is right now in May. They're a symbol of trust, of faith, of resilience, of transformation of belief of magic, and hope. They need our help to survive. They're not quite endangered yet. But in some places, they're coming very close. Do you know that in my first batch of 15 caterpillar's I had three losses, and I was devastated. It was my learning process, and I failed them. But I was congratulated and built up and cheered on by a whole host of other Facebook friends who are raising monarch butterflies here in Hawaii. And what they told me is that I did a great job, really great job. And then out in the world of that 15 that I raised, maybe one would have made it to a butterfly. Because the birds like them, at least some birds, even though they're poisonous, in taste to sum the butterflies. But the caterpillars are tasty little morsels to geckos, and lizards, and bugs and ants and flies, and oh, you do not want to know. So helping them, they need us. They need us to plant more flowers. So they can have more nectar. They need us to not rip out the milkweed, which is determined to be a weed in some locations, because they lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves. They do help to pollinate like bees, but their real purpose in life. I'm not really sure other than to give us joy, and hope and belief. Rosa McAllister 22:01 So I've learned that even more than I knew before, that I am needed, that I can mother and Tutu even tiny little insects and flowers. That there is much beauty and joy in life, even in the midst of a pandemic. And I am not done. They are not done. And we can all do our part. So thank you so much for joining with us today. I hope that you all find many many butterflies sitting all around you. I hope they awaken your eyes to even more beauty. I hope you can find the flowers and the beauty and the love all around you. Even still with a pandemic happening and sadness and muck. But that's part of our Mojo. I thank you all sending you lots of butterflies and creepy crawly, cute little tickly caterpillar's to brighten your day. Signing off. Aloha. Jessica Stover 23:11 Thank you for listening. We hope the information provided was helpful. Don't forget to stop by our website and take advantage of all we have to offer. Transcribed by https://otter.ai