Turning Points

On his way to a Puerto Rican beach to surf, a young man saw a dog barely alive. Putting down his board, he approached the dog, and turned his heart to a whole new future. The local area called Dead Dog Beach, where locals dumped dogs they didn’t want became the turning point in his life’s purpose; to stop seeking fun at every turn and instead to saving, reviving, bringing to health and placing these throwaways with people who would love them.

With my dark skinned bi-racial 18 month old in my bike carrier seat, I wheeled around the corner in our small town neighborhood. A 9 year old girl living a few houses down looked up and sneered aloud “N_ _ _ _ _!” Everything in me vibrated with protective rage. I opened my mouth to respond and unwittingly became a ventriloquist’s puppet speaking words that came through me but not from me. “You are a very pretty girl,” my words lied out loud. She smiled, I fizzled instead of erupting. She never, ever hasseled us in any way after that day. I became instantly aware how futures can change on the strength of word choices.

I once held anger so close for so long that I didn’t know how to put it down and walk away. Being angry gave me strength and a purpose. “I’ve been wronged! “I deserve to be angry.” My anger protected me from feeling anything BUT anger. And then one day something in me said, “Enough.” When that happened, as quietly as a breath exhaled, my eyes cleared, doors of opportunity opened and that stranger – happiness – started showing up again.

Turning points are everywhere. They are symbolic turnstiles; just a little push, a willingness to move to the other side of the space that separates what was, from what will be. The turning itself can be powerful inaction. While externally nothing has changed, everything is different.

It brings to mind the 60’s song, "for everything, turn, turn, turn; there is a season, turn, turn, turn; and a time for every purpose under heaven. . ." The words are scripture, but singing the song somehow lends itself to the feeling of the change taking place.

Wisdom Walker recommends keeping a turning points journal for one week. Those moments of change you observe in the world, are made aware of through others or any media, or those you experience on your daily path.

(You may respond to WW at, bonney.wisdomwalker.oelschlager@gmail.com)