coyote21

Even before recovery, and finally (thankfully) belief in a higher power, as far back as childhood, I've had a deep connection, awe, and almost reverent appreciation for nature and Gods creatures.

I love all critters large and small, but there are a few that seem to have a special significance, among these are butterflies, dragonflies, these 7 stripe lizards from my childhood, and particularly chicken (red tailed) hawks. I don't know why, I love raptors.

During the "trudging through hell" years I began to have some close encounters with these critters and calmness/serenity always seemed to just wash over me. There are many stories but one example was when I was standing outside our apt smoking 6 mts ago and from over the roof line a dove zoomed right in front of my face, about 5 feet behind was a chicken hawk in hot pursuit. He was sooo focused on his prey, I was invisible, his wing tip actually grazed my hair as he flew by.

I've had a lot of these "encounters" and in the beginning I felt like they were signs from Hp, but what do they mean? I finally decided they were reminders, "don't worry, I'm here with you all the time". They always came during a particularly trying time.

Any way, Thursday I saw 21 chicken hawks in a period of about 1 1/2 hours driving 60 or so miles out in the country while at work, 21! Not 5 or 10 or even 15, 21 friggin' chicken hawks.
That's huge, I had a smile a mile wide plastered on my face.

Then my codie worry brain started to work. "Crap, things have been going pretty smooth lately. What could 21 chicken hawks possible mean? Am I gonna wreck on the way home? Is dd gonna get sick?"

After about 5 minutes of "old thinking" I caught myself and figured, damn, I've been pretty good lately, trying to pray only for God's will and the courage to live it.......this is probably just a reward for a job well done by me! A treat just for me from my Hp.


Thanks and God bless us all,
Coyote

escape artist

love it when we can see that. mine is a hummingbird. during my darkest moments this hummingbird would come out of nowhere and totally capitivate me and distract me from my terrible grief. It was amazing the times when it would appear. Even more bizarre was when my XAH gave my daughters a crystal hummingbird which they gave to me...he had NO idea what it meant to me. And I was amazed then that my HP can reach me through anyone and anything.

inahaze

I love red-tailed hawks! Back when I was a kid I used to go horseback riding(yep rode and showed competetively in performance events prior AH) and in this one field I would see a pair of hawks everyday. They were absolutely beautiful and lived in this lovely field that usually only had a human in it when I went riding.

One day I only saw the one hawk flying and wondered where was their partner? Lo and behold he was on the ground right next to me! He allowed me to get down and be within 3 feet before he felt I was to close. That was an awesome experience and a gorgeous bird!!!

brundle

That's so cool!

blessed4x

I LOVE that! When my dad passed a few weeks ago we were driving up to the grave site and right there, in the middle of the city with no real woods for miles around, was a pair of deer. They were just standing in the road and stopped and looked at us and then disappeared over a hill. My dad was a huge outdoorsman, and it was like God was saying to us, "Everything is just fine, just as it should be."

laurie6781

I too am an 'animal' person and have always preferred to be with my 'critters' than with humans.

My grandmother gave me my Lakota name when I was fairly small and I never knew the translation of it until about 10 years ago.

My greatest thrill has always been WOLVES. Always, there have been wolves in my life in one way or another, even worked for years with 'hybird rescue', have had wolves and hybirds etc.

I was about 18 years sober when I found out the translation of the name my grandmother gave me. Depending on Sioux dialect it means:

She Who Lives With Wolves

or

She Who Walks With Wolves

Now just what did that little (yep she was only 4' 11" or so tall, lol) Lakota Indian Woman see in that little child?

Still gives me chills. And, yes I still hve an affinity for wolves, lol

Just real grateful, I've had all these years of recovery to enjoy these 'mysteries.'

Love and hugs,

coyote21

Animals are often much "safer" than other humans.

That's one of those "God shots" that your Gmaw gave you that name years ago.....very spiritual and cool.

Thanks and God bless us all, :ghug2
Coyote

Ago

A few years ago I was standing in a field next to a creek and I was wondering what (major) decision to make So I asked God for a sign, and a young finch flew right by my head, wheeled, and came back and landed on my shoulder.

Decision made.

Was surreal.

Jazzman

I believe close encounters with animals can be omens, not bad omens, but omens of change. It's happened to me too many times to be coincidence.

coyote21

I agree, since I have this Hp now, I don't believe in coincidences any more.

Thanks and God bless us all, :praying
Coyote

Chrysalis123

I love raptors too, and I live where I see many different species frequently. My God shot with raptors happened 8 years ago. My XAH was in a horrible car accident due to being drunk and was in critical condition. I was on my way to the hospital in February....my first of many visits to that hospital. Normally in February sighting bald Eagles is rare. However, on this day at 6:30 in the morning, while driving at 60mph a bald eagle swooped up from the river and flew directly over the middle front of my car and angled up and over the windshield. I could clearly see his white tail feathers.

I was scared to death that morning, until God sent me that eagle. A peace settled over me and I knew I was in His hands.

MeHandle

It is awesome when God gives us something meant just for us, just for our simple enjoyment. And it is really awesome when we discover we actually realize it . It is a realization of just how well he knows us and loves us.

What a treat Coyote!!!

And thanks, you reminded me that God has done this for me. I usually am given it through they way of people, but there was this one time that 2 birds came close up too me and it was as if they were singing just for me. I couldn't believe how long they stayed and just sang, and how beautiful there song was.

coyote21

Exactly........I've never seen a bald eagle, I bet they're spectacular!

Thanks and God bless us all,
Coyote

LaTeeDa

I don't know if they were omens or not, but I do know some of my most vivid and lasting memories are of animals in the wild. Especially predator/prey situations. Two of them were nearly the same. I was sitting on a shore of an alpine lake, late in the day, fishing for trout. I was getting nothing, not even a nibble, noticing a large bird circling over the lake. Then, all of a sudden, the bird swooped down, plucked a fish out of the lake, and flew away with the fish still flopping in it's talons. The first time this happened, it was an Osprey, the second, a Bald Eagle. Most amazing.

Another time, I was driving down the dirt road between my house and the main road, when I stilled lived out in the country. I saw a jack rabbit run across the road. Not unusual for the area, but I remember thinking for a second that rabbit was really hauling butt! The next thing I knew, I was slamming on my brakes in order to avoid hitting the bobcat that was in hot pursuit. There are others, but these are some of my most special memories.

I believe the reason these experiences stick with me is because they awaken the animal spirit that lives in me, and in us all. We have to curb our animal tendencies in order to live a civilized life, but if we push our wild instincts too far down, we lose that spirit and awe that comes from being a 'creature' on this earth. There is an excellent book called "Women Who Run with the Wolves" by Clarissa Pinkola Estes that addresses archetypes and how they relate to our natural instincts. (Laurie, you should read it if you haven't, sounds like it was written just for you. ) And, it's not just a 'chick book,' my BIL loved it.

Thanks for the inspiring thread.

L

barnes

The one connection I had with an animal was driving my motorcycle in the middle of Montana. I had been alone for hours, in my thoughts. I loved being that alone. Suddenly, a fox tore through the wheat and almost jumped in front of me. But it stopped and the look on our faces where the same. We had not expected to see another living thing out there. The gaze seemed to last forever and then poof, time sped up, and I was gone.

laurie6781

Thanks LTD.

I haven't read it, so just put it on my list for my next Amazon order, lol

Love and hugs,

GiveLove

Coyote, when I saw your thread's title I thought you were going to talk about old Foghorn Leghorn cartoons (remember the chicken hawk? "That boy, I say that boy's about as sharp as a bowlin' ball")


I love redtails, though. Maybe your HP picked up on how geeked you were with one, and sent more to make you happier. "Hey, he loved that 1 we sent....watch his face when we send him down 21."

Mine's done that with ravens from time to time. The other morning on my birthday there was a flock of literally hundreds. They made a huge noise that rattled the glass in my windows. Alright already!! LOL

coyote21

Ha! I actually thought about old foghorn when I titled this thread, didn't think anyone would know what I was talking about!

Thanks and God bless us all,
Coyote

blessed4x

I was driving my kids to school this morning and my 13 year old said "MOM...a red tail hawk just came down and flew right alongside the van!" I missed it, but later today I saw TWO more.....one was just standing in the road and watched me drive by, didn't fly off or anything.

So I thought of this thread and wondered what my message is......

GiveLove

Beautiful :ghug3