Positive Squirrel Experiences

On Father’s day, we were sitting around the table sharing stories, when we got on the subject of animals.  I told a story about a friend of mine who couldn’t figure out why the almonds she kept in a small bowl on the coffee table kept ending up on the floor.  One day, she discovered the answer when she saw a squirrel coming through the sliding glass door that she had left opened, and helping himself to her almonds.  Apparently word got out that a) my friend had almonds on her coffee table and b) that she often left the sliding glass door opened, because she now has a whole host of squirrels who come by her house for a snack. 

My dad said, “That reminds me of another squirrel story” and he proceeded to tell us about the day he found a baby squirrel in the yard. He was a black squirrel, which are pretty uncommon in our old neighborhood.  Thinking he was dead, he put on a pair of gloves and when he went to pick him up, he realized the squirrel was still alive, although just barely.  My dad told us about how he gave water to the little guy, by using a dropper and how he continued to do so all day long.  My jaw was hanging open, as I listened to my former Naval Academy “I-don’t-do-feelings” dad talk about how he doted on this little squirrel.  I always thought I got my compassion for animals from my mom.  After all, she was the one who took care of stray cats, not just feeding them but knitting them blankets to go in the beds she would make for them in the yard.  I couldn’t quite believe what I was hearing.

My dad continued to tell us the story . . . After nursing the squirrel all day, he put him up on the top of the fence, hoping that it would be easier for his family to find him up there.  When he went out a little while later to check on him, he was gone.  My dad didn’t know if his family had come to find him, if he was well enough to walk away on his own or if he had fallen off the fence and landed in the neighbors yard on the other side.  He said he thought about it quite a few times and wondered what ever happened to the little black squirrel . . . and then one day, almost a year later, my dad was in the yard and a black squirrel came hopping down the fence, stopped right in front of my dad and stared at him for a while . . . and then continued on his way.  My dad said he suspected it was the same squirrel stopping by to let him know he had made it. 

I couldn’t think of anything else to say besides “Wow.”  It was “wow” on so many levels. My dad didn’t believe I could communicate with animals when I was a little girl and quite honestly, I don’t think he believes I can do it now, but he was pretty sure he got a “message” himself from the black squirrel, who wanted him to know he was OK.  Maybe he isn’t as closed off to what I do as he likes to make me think.  It was also a sweet realization for me that my compassion for animals didn’t just come from my mom, I got it from both of my parents.  

New Opportunity to Practice Gratitude

Last week, I sat down in the backyard to relax after a long day and saw a young rat walking slowly across my patio.  Initially, I was shocked at the guts he had, sauntering across my yard like that, and I'll admit, I'm never excited to see a rat running through my yard.  My irritation that a rat was in my yard gave way to compassion though when I realized he was dragging his back leg a bit and seemed disoriented.  Seeing that something was wrong with him compelled me to start sending him Reiki, as soon as he settled behind my lawn chair.  I stayed several feet away, as I didn't want to scare him, and for about twenty minutes, I sent him Reiki.  When I got up to go inside, he disappeared into the crack in the fence.  I felt relieved and hoped the energy had helped him.

The next afternoon, I was in the backyard making a mental note of the fact that I had exactly enough time to shower, get dressed, have a bite to eat and get to an appointment, when my little rodent friend appeared from behind a potted plant.  I watched him as he tried to walk across the patio and then collapsed.  I saw down on the ground next to him and started to send him Reiki, this time from less than a foot away.  I was worried about him and wasn't sure what to do to help him.  I thought maybe he was thirsty or hungry, so I got some water for him and some bread.  He drank some water but didn't touch the bread, so I went back inside and got some cheese for him.   He didn't seem interested in that either and it was then then I looked at the clock and realized how late it was.  After a very quick shower, I assured him I'd be back soon if he needed more Reiki, and flew out the door with wet hair and an empty stomach.  I hoped that he'd feel better by the time I returned.

Rushing back from my appointment, I ran straight into the backyard to find my little rodent friend laying on his side, gasping for breath with little drops of blood coming out of his nose.  I couldn't stop the tears from flowing as I realized the Reiki wasn't going to make him better, but instead was going to help him make his transition.

I don't know why it upset me as much as it did, but my heart was breaking for this little guy.  I called a friend of mind and tearfully told her what was going on, knowing she would understand since a baby crow had died in her yard a few weeks earlier.  She reminded me that everything is always in Divine order and that if he was going to die in my yard, it was because he was supposed to.  She suggested that I try to focus on gratitude, which we both agreed felt like an impossible feat at that moment and yet we were equally sure it was the right things to do.

For the next four or five hours, I sat with him and gave him Reiki.  I sat on the ground next to him, with my hand cupped over his little body and I could feel how much he appreciated the energy. The Reiki would help him get into a very peaceful state and he would fall asleep for a little while.  A few times, I wondered if maybe I needed to give him more space, so when he was asleep, I would get up and sit down somewhere else in the yard. When he would wake up, he'd try to move again, and each time, he would make it over to me and then collapse at my feet.  As I continued giving him Reiki, I kept telling him he was safe, that he was loved and that he was not alone . . . and I cried.  I realized it is the thing that we probably all want to know and my heart swelled with love, compassion and sadness.

I tried to focus on what I was grateful for . . . I was grateful that he felt comfortable enough to make his transition in my yard and I was grateful that I didn't have anywhere else I really needed to be so that I could hold the space for him and honor him on this last part of his journey here on earth.

Finally around 7pm, I decided the headache I had was probably not just from all the crying I had been doing but because I still hadn't eaten.  I went inside to make myself some dinner and when I returned to the yard, he was gone.  I suspect he went under my deck to finish his transition there.

After as emotional as I had been all day, I was surprised to find that I felt nothing but peace.  I knew I had done all I could for him and I trusted that it had unfolded the way it was supposed to.

It reminded me of the importance of honoring all life . . . even the lives of beings that we may not normally be drawn to.  I felt comfort in a deep knowing a had, that things really had unfolded in Divine order.  And I truly felt gratitude, for the opportunity I was given to play a role in this sweet little rat's transition.

Fun with Flashes

I recently went over to a friend's house to visit with she and my god-dogs, Mingus and Nina.  I was humored by what I saw playing out before me . . . sibling rivalry as strong as I have ever seen it in human form.  It brought me back to my own childhood and the memories I have of my siblings and I, and how intense our sibling rivalry could be.  At Christmas time each year, my mom went out of her way to make sure us kids had exactly the same number of gifts under the tree, as a way to avoid the pouting and declarations that "so-and-so was the favorite child."

The entire time I was with my god-dogs, if I pet one of them, the other one would push their way in to make sure they got a pet too.  It had to be even the whole time.  I marveled at how many "human" behaviors are exhibited by animals and wondered how people could believe they were "just dogs."

After dinner, I wanted to take some pictures of the dogs but since we were inside and my flash kept going off, their eyes were changing color, but not in a way I had ever seen before.  I have seen dogs and cats end up with red eyes in pictures, or green eyes, but this was something I had never witnessed before.  Each picture I took, one eye turned glowing green and one eye turned glowing blue.  My friend and I were laughing so hard, I could barely hold the camera still.  I kept reassuring the dogs that we weren't laughing AT them, because I didn't want them to feel bad . . . and yet with each picture, our laughter got more intense.

I asked my friend what kind of radio-active dog treats she was feeding them and that made us laugh even more.  Then I tried to say, with a straight face, that I was concerned about my god-dogs and wasn't sure I should leave them there with her, given that she must be feeding them toxic substances, and that made us laugh again.  I finally gave up trying to get a normal picture and told my friend that next time I'd come back in the day time to photograph them.  :-)

In case you have never seen an eerie blue eyed/green eyed dog before, I am including a few of the pictures.  I don't know if it will make anyone else laugh.  You might have had to be there.  But just in case you don't, enjoy!!