L IVING WITH SPIR I T CONTINUED


machine were for an elephant. The students let me know they were


not that gullible They followed me outside, and


I pointed immediately to my new companion. “Here he is,” I announced, and I stretched to give him a big hug. The students frozen in their tracks.


“Where did you get that elephant?” they demanded. “What’s going on here?” Rolling with laughter, I managed


to tell them it was just a mysterious blessing from the universe. I really had no concrete answers. Guidance had opened me up to this experience. It was wonderful, wacky, wild, and fun – yet inner guidance, pure and simple. This big, friendly fellow liked seeing


the students and waved his trunk gently to touch each one of them. They loved being acknowledged in this way. Leaving the students with the elephant, I drove in search of his circus family. The closest town was miles down the


road. As I approached, I spotted the iconic striped circus tent with Ferris wheel and roller coaster – a small carnival, recently assembled. I parked and went around to the back, where there were large trucks and people milling about. An aging, silver-haired man


approached me. I asked, “Is this circus missing an elephant?” He practically jumped at me! “Do you


have him? You know where he is? I’ve been worried sick!” When I saw how upset the man was,


I quickly reassured him. “Yes, I found the elephant at a high school several miles down the road. We spent the day together, “ I admitted, “and he’s with a group of my students now, having a good time.” I learned what a fine gentleman my


elephant friend was and how he had never disappeared before. I couldn’t help but be grateful that he had walked away from the circus this one time and visited me at the school.


...although we had


short time together, he had


my life and uplifting it.


enjoyed only a


his love, touching


certainly shared


The elephant greeted his owner with


great affection. Their reunion was emotional. It was clear this elephant had been given a lot of love. And although we had enjoyed only a short time together, he had certainly shared his love, touching my life and uplifting it. When I returned to my school on


Monday morning, the students had already shared the elephant story far and wide. Smiles greeted me as I walked through the hallways. People were touched by the mystery of the experience, the serendipity of it, that magical quality we all want to uncover in our own lives. And in my heart, I now held the great


love of an elephant – love easily shared, mysteriously given, and gratefully received. Divine Spirit works in seemingly


mysterious ways, and there are endless little blessings all around. And sometimes there are really big ones too! Later, as I reflected on the events of


that day, I saw new meaning in how inner guidance works in all aspects of


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8 july 2014


our lives at all times. Our job is to stay open, listen to event he subtle nudges, and follow the directions of our heart. I was learning and growing, grateful for the love and guidance in every moment. Inner guidance brought me to this


very small act of service, and through service, it also gave me a huge gift. I expanded in my understanding of love through this simple experience. We are all here to grow in love.


Opportunities to blossom are all around us. As we love, serve others, and expect the best in all things, every day, Divine Spirit guides us very precisely to our greatest good. A simple but extraordinary approach to life, it is available to us all.


The above article has been extracted with permission from Inner Guidance: Our Divine Birthright by Anne Archer Butcher. The book has been reviewed in this issue of LivingNow, p.41.


The author will be in Australia for book signings and workshops in July, 2014.


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©freepik by dimitri_c


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