Animal Guide

I was sitting on the patio in my cozy reclining camp chair with a book and a blanket when a tiny green and brown hummingbird buzzed towards me and hovered in mid air, only a few feet away. He seemed to be looking right at me, evaluating me. As we exchanged glances, I noticed that his wings moved so fast, I couldn't even see them. They were two blurs on either side of his body, almost like shadows. After a few seconds, he flitted off to the fuchsia bush where he navigated with extreme precision between the branches and leaves, carefully inspecting each and every blossom for nectar.

Whenever I have a personal encounter with an animal, it's like I've made a new connection, as if we've shared something together and learned from one another. Some Native Americans believe that each animal offers a specific type of "medicine" or energy. Hummingbird medicine is about adaptability, navigating easily through obstacles, rolling with changes, and finding the joy in life. That's a great lesson, but also a challenge.

I had a conversation with a co-worker today about my difficulty adapting to big changes. I need a true north. I get frustrated when I don't have something solid and concrete to hold on to. It's often the bane of my existence at work, where things change faster than I can cope. I sometimes catch myself wishing things could just go back to the way they were two years ago, when I had my own space and I worked on the things I care about.

I don't think it's wrong to reminisce about good times in the past, but sometimes holding on just holds you back. I would like to get better at accepting change. Maybe one day I'll be able to navigate with precision like that little hummingbird.