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| The baby long-legged bat I encountered tonight. |
A few months ago wild animals began
appearing in my life. It started with a bald eagle I spotted perched
on top of a tall pine tree in the parking lot at work. I snapped as
good of a photo of it as I could with my iPhone, then stood there and
watched it as it looked for prey. It was, quite literally, awesome. I
could almost feel it's strength and spirit.
After that encounter, I began to wonder
if there was a message in there for me. Even though I wasn't raised
in the Native American culture, I do have Cherokee blood from my
birth father's side and I've studied a bit about totems and traditions
of the Native American people. Seeing the eagle made me wonder about
it's meaning within that culture and whether or not that meaning had
a Universal message.
At the time, I was struggling with my
photography and had very low self-confidence around it. I hadn't
picked up my camera in quite a while, to be honest. After looking up
the meaning of the eagle totem I found the message of “not
allowing the illusion of limitation to ground us in our flight”. I
took it to heart and picked up my camera once again.
A
month or so later as I was driving home from work late at night, I
crossed paths with a raccoon. He was almost instantly in front of my
car in a dark stretch of highway and in a place where I was
absolutely unable to avoid hitting him. I felt horrible when it
happened and still do. The rest of my drive home was filled with
tears and apologies and heart ache. I have never hit an animal and
now know how traumatizing it is. I am still so sorry.
A
week or so after that I noticed a deer on the side of that same
freeway. She was feeding on leaves about 50 feet from the
freeway. After I passed her I silently asked her to stay away from the road.
Last
night on my way home from work on that same freeway I passed the body
of a mountain lion that had been hit. I regret not stopping and going
back to it, but what would I have been able to do? It wasn't moving
so I assumed it was killed on impact. Again, I felt horrible. Even
though I wasn't the one who hit it, I felt horrible for being a part
of the same species that killed it. I shed some tears and sent a
prayer up into the Universe for it's smooth transition into the next life.
While
I was at work tonight, on my lunch break, my co-worker called me over
to his work area and pointed at something on the floor. It was a baby
long-legged bat. The only other time I've ever seen a bat was when I
visited family in Massachusetts while still a teenager so I was
awestruck. The little guy was trying to find it's way out of the
warehouse, I assumed, so I quickly found a clear bowl in the kitchen
and led him inside of it then covered it so he wouldn't try and fly
away until I got him outside. I took him to the back of the building
where there are a few trees and nothing much else around, hoping he'd
find his way and be safe. After putting him down he quickly found the
wall of the building and started to climb it. I wished him luck and
watched him for a few moments.
After
going back to work tonight I started thinking about all of these
encounters and sort of putting them together. When I came home
tonight I had to sit down and research each one of their totem
meanings.
The
eagle is about not allowing the illusion of limitation to ground us
in our flight.
The
raccoon is about cleverness,
adaptation, leadership in groups, empowerment of others, and the
masks we wear.
The
deer is about seeking out our inner treasures.
The
mountain lion is about courage, power, patience, decision and
intuition.
Finally,
the bat is about the ability
to see through illusion
or ambiguity and dive straight to the truth of matters. It is also a
symbol of rebirth.
When
I put all of these things together, I am clear that the path I am on
with my new project and my new business is the path that I am
supposed to be on. For that message, I am truly grateful.
Just
to note, even though I am grateful, my heart is sad for those
beautiful animals. We, as humans, don't tread lightly on this Earth
and that affects every single one of them. My respect for this planet
and the creatures that inhabit it is great and I do my best to live
peacefully, compassionately and respectfully.
Beautiful post. When you start to notice, you see more.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Indeed.
DeleteI agree with Amber, when you start to notice, you see more. My teacher has always encouraged me to go beyond the metaphysical meaning or message of wild animals and study how they live, eat, survive, and reproduce to deepen my understanding of the place of their medicine in my life. She has also encouraged me to consider putting myself in the place of each animal when I encounter it - so you are the bat in the warehouse, the raccoon not making it across the road, etc. I don't believe it is a stretch to feel that raccoon offered itself to you for a purpose. What have you killed or released? Perhaps when you can answer that question, the sadness will subside. (Even though on a practical, physical level I would feel the same way. It's hard to see beyond that, especially when you are so connected to nature and animals.)
ReplyDeleteI admire how you are walking your path right now - so much courage and confidence. It's amazing and wonderful, and I'm not surprised one bit. You have always had this in you. :)
<3
-LW
Thank you. (: I knew it was there but was so fearful of it, to be perfectly honest. I am still a wee bit terrified but that feeling is less and less with each passing day.
DeleteYou're right. It isn't a stretch to feel that raccoon offered itself to me for a purpose. I can see it in that perspective, even through the sadness. What immediately comes to mind is killing off the masks I've worn. Perhaps as I think about it more other things will make themselves known, as well.
Thank you. Thank you for being in my life and understanding these things. I appreciate you, LW. <3
What a beautiful post, Wendi. The insights you have gained from these experiences, and those you will continue to gain, will serve you well as you continue on your path. All of nature conspires to teach us well. Our task is to be teachable. You do all of that so well.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Mom
Indeed. Thanks, Momma!
DeleteI loved this post..thank you for sharing! Wildlife is so mysterious and beautiful, but I didn't know that it had such a deep philosophical meaning to our lives.. I think I will see things a little differently now..
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I'm so glad my words can help you see things a little differently!
Delete