Leopard's Kin

by Becky Norman

  Lori tilted her head sceptically. “Just like that?”

  “Just like that,” he confirmed. “When I worried about not having a place to sleep, I could never find one. When I got scared because I didn’t have enough money for food, I went hungry. When I became frightened of losing a job, I lost it. And finally one day, a light dawned – every time I thought about negative things, negative things happened. So I started thinking about good things in my life and almost immediately, things turned around.”

  Lori looked dubiously at him. “I don’t get that,” she contradicted. “I’ve heard people say that before – that they won a horse show because they visualized winning first. They said they imagined picking up the ribbon and that’s how they won. I’ve tried that before and I didn’t win. When I won, it was because Piper and I put blood, sweat and tears into training.”

  Noel was listening attentively to her and waited patiently until she was finished.

  “Well, let me ask you this,” he began. “Did you believe you could win by visualizing? Or did you doubt the idea that something as simple as imagining it could actually produce those kinds of results?”

  Lori recognized the truth when she heard it and answered honestly. “Well...I suppose I did doubt it.”

  Noel nodded. “There’s visualizing, then there’s what I like to call your Core Thought about something – what you really deep down believe. Because you can’t fool yourself about something you know – or, should I say you think you know – in your heart isn’t going to work. If your Core Thought about that horse show was that you have to wring out blood, sweat and tears in order to win then that’s exactly what you produce.”

  He switched position, getting excited about the topic. “See, I believe everything we think, say and do is powerful, Lori. It’s like having our own private genie in a bottle – except your genie – or God, or The Universe, if you prefer – takes everything you say literally. And your genie listens to your Core Thought. And when you combine your words with your Core Thought you are literally creating everything that is happening. Even me, sitting here right now with you, is because we both thought about having this conversation – even if it was on a subconscious level.”

  Lori shook her head. “Wait – you’re going too fast. How can I be creating stuff if I’m not conscious of it?”

  Noel laughed. “You do it all the time! Everything around you – everything that’s happened in your life – has been created by you. But sometimes there’s a delay between the thought and the creation, so you may not see the effects of your thought until much later – sometimes years later.”

  He paused, but Lori waited for him to say more so he continued. “Let me give you an example. When you and Cody got your house, what did you imagine? What did you think about – literally – when you were looking for a place?”

  Lori looked up at a corner of the room, remembering. “Well...we said we wanted something with land, halfway between our families’ homes. I was hoping for an indoor arena so I could work horses year-round and I got that. But I didn’t say I wanted a log home.”

  “Did you specify what kind of house you did want?”

  She shook her head. “No, not really – it was more about the land.”

  Noel was nodding at her, as though his point had been made. “You see? You created what you were thinking about – you focused on the land, and you created that.”

  “But that’s too easy – everyone does that! You write down a list of the things you want and then you find the house that most closely resembles your needs. There’s no magic to that, Noel.”

  He smiled at her. “It’s not magic, I agree. But it is creating at its most fundamental level. But if you can do it there, why can’t you do it to win the lottery? I’ll tell you why – because your Core Thought about winning the lottery isn’t the same as the one about finding a house that meets your desires. You, at your core, think it’s impossible to win the lottery – or at least very difficult – so you block yourself without even knowing it. You think that finding a suitable house is something you can do and that’s why it’s easier to create in your reality.”

  Lori paused, again cocking her head in thought. “Maybe. But what about all those times that I’ve said I want something and I haven’t gotten it? Even when I thought it was within my grasp?”

  “Because The Universe takes your thoughts literally, remember? If you ‘want’ something, then your genie gives you ‘wanting.’ If you say ‘I’d like a new coat’ then your genie gives you the concept of liking a new coat. It’s such a simple switch to changing that thought and creating it much quicker in your reality, but people don’t realize it. They keep ‘wanting’ things and can’t understand why they don’t get it.”

  “So explain it to me. If I wanted a new coat, what should I say to create it?”

  “There’s lots of different things you can say, but I always find being grateful for what you do have helps. Remember what Tecumseh said? ‘When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.’ He understood, too. And the most powerful tool of all is something Jesus had down perfectly: ‘I am.’ Thoughts that start with those two words are amazingly creative. So, I would probably say something like, ‘I am going to get a new coat in the next week.’ Or better yet, ‘I am grateful that a new coat is going to be given to me next week.’ See, when you’re specific, too, that helps in my experience.”

  “But what if you don’t believe that?” Lori wondered. “What if I doubt that it’s possible for a coat to just materialize out of thin air? You’ve already said if my Core Thought isn’t the same as what I’m saying, it’s not going to work.”

  Noel was nodding as she talked and jumped in immediately after she finished voicing her question. “Yes, you’re right. If you doubt that you can make it happen, it won’t happen because your mind is telling you ‘impossible!’ In situations like that, I always rely on a Higher Power to get me through. That’s when I call on the Great Creator to make it manifest in my reality. If I doubt my own powers, I certainly don’t doubt God’s.”

  “So it’s a question of faith then,” Lori surmised.

  Noel nodded. “For me, yes. Some people have an even harder time trusting an outside source, though, so it’s whatever works for you – I’ve seen both methods work – it just depends on how strongly you believe. I can make some pretty big things happen now – or what others would call big. Like sending a cougar off by visualizing it,” he added with a wink.

  “But I didn’t start with stuff like that,” he continued. “I started with small things that were within my realm of the possible. When I saw them actually happen, my faith grew, both in myself and in God. I saw that we were working together and making really incredible things happen. So I would encourage you to experiment with it – just try to imagine certain things happening – keep them within the realm of what you would call possible – and see what happens. I guarantee you’ll be amazed.”

  Lori bit her lip in thought, but she was excited about the prospect.

  “There doesn’t have to be religion involved,” Noel continued. “In fact, sometimes there are certain ideas in a religion that get in the way, but it’s whatever works for you – whatever you believe in. I, personally, believe there is a God – the ultimate creation machine – at work in my life but I’ve known atheists who have applied these basic principles and they’ve been successful, too. So I don’t think the concept excludes anyone. But when I meditate I hear a voice sometimes that is much more in tune with all of life than what could come from me alone – I call that God.”

  Lori nodded. “I agree. I’m certainly not a fanatic when it comes to religion, but I see a higher source at work in my life, too. Sometimes,” she added, thinking of Cody.

  **********

  It was a chilly morning and Noel was reluctan
t to get out from under the pile of covers on the couch in the barn loft. Lori had provided him with a space heater, but he hadn’t wanted to keep it on all night – not only because of the electric he’d be using, but also because of the fire hazard being above the horses. It was only the thought of seeing Lori soon that convinced him to get out of bed and into the frigid air in the room; he hastily made his way to the heater, turning it on and standing in front of it for a few moments to absorb the heat.

  Once it had started to warm the room, he made his way to the kitchen and fixed a cup of tea for himself from the stash he had left here back in September. He was looking forward to today with a great deal of joy. Lori had invited him to attend a horse auction with her – she said she planned to buy a couple of horses to train over the winter and sell at a profit in the spring. She had joked with him, saying she needed some positive thoughts to “create” a couple of decent horses at a cheap price today and asked if he would help her out. He had agreed, not only because he liked spending time with her, but also because he relished the opportunity to change her doubtful joking into a reality she could believe in.

  They would be leaving early – Lori had been hitching up the horse trailer last night when he arrived, and explained to him that they would need to be on the road by 7:00 a.m. if they were going to be there for the start of the auction. It was 6:00 now and as he sipped his tea by the frosted upper window, he saw her making her way to the barn to feed the horses and get them turned out for the day while the humans were gone.

  When the chores were done with his assistance, they climbed into Lori’s truck and headed out on the road, Noel riding shotgun as she manoeuvred the truck and trailer along the country roads.

  “Okay,” he said when she was on an open stretch and could concentrate on him. “Let’s talk about some ‘I am’ statements you could make today. What are you thinking about these two horses?”

  She gave him a sideways grin from the driver’s seat and pushed a swatch of her silver-and-black hair away from her eyes. “Okay, let me think. I am...I am...going to find two cheap horses at the auction today. How’s that?”

  “Well, think about it. If the universe is going to take that statement literally, what are you creating with what you’ve said?”

  “That I’m going to find two cheap horses.”

  “Right. Does that mean you’re going to buy them? Or just find them?” he asked, trying to lead her down the right path.

  “Oh, right. I see what you mean.” She stared intently at the road, deep in the process of creating. “Okay. I am going to purchase two inexpensive horses today that I can train.”

  Noel nodded. “Better. Now, remember, too, what I said about being grateful – acknowledging what you already have seems to help.”

  Lori drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, thinking some more. Finally, she shook her head. “I’m not sure about that one. How can you be grateful for something you don’t have yet? That seems to go against my so-called Core Thoughts.”

  Noel smiled fondly at her. “No, don’t lie to yourself. You can’t find anything about this day to be grateful for?”

  “Well, I get to spend time with you,” she said, shocking him completely.

  “I’m...uh...flattered,” he stammered. “And I’m grateful for that, too. But there are things you can be grateful for within the process of today, too. You can say things like, ‘I am grateful that I am going to an auction where the opportunity to buy cheap, trainable horses exists.’”

  She smiled. “That’s a mouthful. I don’t think I’m going to remember that.”

  He chuckled along with her. “Okay, how about this: ‘I am blessed to have the ways and means to purchase cheap, trainable horses today.’”

  Lori nodded. “That’s easier.”

  “Okay, now let’s take it one step further,” Noel said. “I think I mentioned to you earlier that it’s not just your thoughts, but your words and actions that will help make something manifest in your life quickly. If you just think about something, but never act on it, it takes a lot longer to happen – if it happens at all.”

  He turned to face her better on the truck seat. “So you’ve been thinking about it for awhile and now we’re talking about it, so let’s go the last step and do something about it.”

  Lori frowned in puzzlement. “Aren’t we doing something about it by driving to the auction with a horse trailer?”

  Noel nodded. “Yes, absolutely – we are acting as though the results are a given by bringing the trailer and that’s a very important part. But we can also visualize now about how it would feel to buy those two horses. You see, feeling a certain way helps the mind accept it as part of your reality. So, how will you feel when you buy those two horses?”

  She grinned broadly and he could see she was enjoying the entire conversation. “I would feel excited about it, getting the chance to work with new horses and watch them turn from pushy, heavy, scared animals into willing partners.”

  “Almost there,” he answered. “But lose the ‘I would’ – change it to ‘I feel.’”

  She sighed, thinking about the switch. “Okay. I feel...excited...about bringing two new horses home to train.” She flicked a quick glance at him then looked back at the road. “But isn’t that assuming too much, Noel? Isn’t that going against the Core Thought again?”

  “No, not if you combine it with your ‘I am’ statement. So, first: ‘I am blessed to have the ways and means to purchase cheap, trainable horses today.’ And then: ‘And because I will purchase them, I feel excited about bringing them home to train.’”

  He held up a finger in admonition. “But remember, Lori – always first that you have the ways and means to purchase them. That’s a statement you can definitely believe in – that’s an easy Core Thought for you. Always go back to that if you think your ‘I feel’ statement is beyond your grasp.”

  She actually made a sound almost like a giggle as she leaned back in the seat. “This is fun!” she laughed. “I can’t wait to get there and see my new horses!”

  He laughed, then made her repeat the statements several more times until he could see a glow in her eyes. That told him all he needed to know about her willingness to believe and her ability to make it happen.

  **********

  When they got to the auction grounds, the place was already buzzing with activity. There were horses and ponies everywhere – not to mention tack and wagons and horse trailers lined up in rows, waiting for their turn on the auction block. Noel looked around him in amazement, feeling the excitement and anticipation of the other participants thrum up through his feet and into his bones.

  Lori went to the registration office and picked up her number, still muttering her new-found mantra under her breath. She had explained that she had gone to lots of these with Cody and had picked up a lot of good tips from him on how and when to “shop” the horses and when to take a seat. She had a catalogue with her, discreetly earmarked to the horses she was interested in.

  She came back to him with her registration number tucked between her lips and flipped through the catalogue, finding the first horse she was interested in.

  “Number five on the day,” she murmured. “We’ll have to take a peek at this mare quickly before the bidding starts, Noel. Do you mind going with me to the warm-up ring? I have a feeling she’ll already be there.”

  Through the day, Noel was able to see Lori shine – she was in her element, confident and capable, and determined to get good prices on her picks. She was given the opportunity to ride the number five mare but dismounted with a disappointed shake of the head and said to Noel as she was walking towards him, “no I don’t think so.” However, a few minutes later she murmured to him, “I’m definitely keeping my eye on her – if the bidding doesn’t get too out of control, I’ll try for her.”

  He made her say their designed “I am” statements before the horses she was interested in and
when she didn’t win the mare, Noel reminded her that the statement said she was going to purchase two inexpensive trainable horses. Either Lori believed the mare was too expensive...or The Universe knew that mare was “untrainable.” Lori laughed at that and assured Noel that no mare was untrainable – but she did admit the price had gone too high.

  They went to view a stunning dapple grey thoroughbred after lunch and Lori couldn’t keep the glow from her eyes after seeing the gelding. “Okay, I want him,” she said softly in Noel’s ear, “and I know ‘wanting’ is the wrong thing to say...so help me!”

  “Then say, ‘this is one of the horses God is giving me today.’” He looked at her, assessing her reaction. “Believable?”

  “That’s a pretty nice present...but yeah, it’s believable.”

  “Well, if anyone is generous enough to give horses to people, it’s God, I would think,” Noel quipped light-heartedly.

  Lori laughed back at him. “Too true.”

  She got the gelding for a ridiculously-low price; Lori explained to Noel afterwards that most of the people in this crowd were looking for kids’ ponies, trail horses or farm horses – a long-legged, trim thoroughbred would be more suited for Shannon’s clientele – or maybe even Curtis Fanshaw. With that calculating statement, Noel realized just how shrewd Lori was when it came to planning ahead.

  They missed out on another gelding Lori had been interested in – the price climbed dramatically high within a few bids and she declined the offer to go any higher with a pass of her hand.

  “That wasn’t the other horse then,” Noel commented when the horse was led out of the ring. He could see that one had rattled Lori a bit; she had been certain the gelding was hers.

  “Don’t get discouraged, Lori,” he cautioned when he saw her shoulders slump a fraction of an inch. “Keep your vision in mind, but don’t get tied to expectations on one particular horse. Remember what I said about the mare – you are going to get two horses today – don’t be so busy looking at the wrong horse that you miss the right one.”