Recently, a friend dropped by. She was having a horrible day, one of those days when nothing goes right. She had failed at making a special cake, one that she had made a thousand times before. Everything she tried that day became a frustration. The biggie was earlier in the day, when she bent down and picked up what she thought was a brown leaf on the floor by her bed. She put it on a counter to toss out later. She was not wearing her glasses at the time. Later, while wearing glasses, she passed by the counter and was appalled to see a dead scorpion on the counter! She had picked up a scorpion with her bare hands! Was this a bad omen? A symbol of the bad stuff to come? I told her that I had done that before…picked up what I thought was a leaf while not wearing my glasses. In my case the object was a large dead roach.
I told her that things would get better, that we all have days like this and it would pass. And she should be happy that the scorpion was dead…maybe that was a good sign. After she left, I googled “what do scorpions symbolize?” thinking that negative things would come up on my screen. But, the websites I checked out had positive things to say about scorpions, such as: “Scorpions can be a symbol of rebirth, power, independence, and passion.” (1)
A few days before that, another friend had texted me a link to a story on what it means when a cardinal appears. I had heard about cardinals being a sign of a passed on loved one visiting from beyond. And some people believe they are a sign of love and hope and loyalty. The 30th of December was when I started writing the draft of this blog. That was my late father’s birthday and I kept looking out the window at my trees and feeders, hoping to see a cardinal.
But, I like to think of myself as above all this superstition…that I am a student of nature, ever in awe of the beauty of all species that inhabit the earth with us…and how special they all are, but in a scientific way. Well, I pretend to think like this, “Look at me! I don’t believe in that magical hooey!” If I am honest with you, I admit to giving special significance to seeing certain critters, especially positive significance. If I see a hawk as I set out on a trip, I consider this a good omen…that the trip will be safe. I never think a particular critter represents badness. That is my personal choice and fits in with trying to “think positive thoughts”, something my mother used to say.
Driving home from a recent luncheon a scissortail flycatcher flew over the road in front of my car! I thought I might have hallucinated it because they are not supposed to be here in the winter. They are an unmistakable bird with their long forked tail. So, I looked them up online…what they might symbolize. The website said “something has ended in my life- an ending that has been necessary for quite sometime.” Okay…not yet sure what this is referring to.
I have many wrens visit my yard. They apparently are associated with the ideas of staying joyful while moving forward in life, and kindness. I like that.(3)
Anyway, these ideas come from our human imaginations and can be a source of amusement and inspiration. I think they can coexist with science…just so we know the difference.
I never did see a real cardinal on my dad’s birthday, but I did see one in my kitchen. I spotted a cardinal magnet on the refrigerator. That will have to do. Am wishing you all a wonderful New Year filled with signs of goodness in many forms!
p.s. Word of advice: Before you pick up something from the floor, please put on your glasses!
Websites:
1.) Spiritanimal.info
2.) Shellyrwilson.com
3.) Spirit-animals.com
(cardinal photo by B. McCreary)
Natural Musings 