You have to love when a year starts off well. “Well” is a very relative term, of course. What is well for me, may not be well for everyone, universally across the board. But for me, things are going well so far on many fronts.
I’m heavy into signs, symbolism, omens and the like. On Monday, I got a text from my next door neighbor, “There’s a big beautiful crane hanging out on your roof!” along with this image.
It’s a heron.
I remember Mario always mentioning that seeing a heron was very auspicious. And it’s true, in Chinese culture, the birds can symbolize good fortune. The Greeks believed they were messengers from the gods. The ancient Egyptians saw herons as one of the forms Ra the Sun god would take as well as a symbol of eternal renewal. I could go on, but you can see the importance of these large and graceful birds in cultures across the globe.
One of the things I’ve stumbled on that really resonated with me as of late though, is this definition from, “Animal Speak” by Ted Andrews.
“The blue heron is a totem (symbol) of someone who has chosen to claim their life as their own. According to North American Native tradition, the Blue Heron brings messages of self-determination and self-reliance. It represents an ability to progress and evolve. The long thin legs of the heron reflect that even though we must be able to stand on our own, we don’t need legs that are great massive pillars to remain stable.
Blue Herons have the innate wisdom of being able to maneuver through life and co-create their own circumstances.
If the Blue Heron has shown up as your totem, it reflects your need to follow your own unique wisdom and path of self-determination. You know what is best for yourself, and need to follow your heart rather than the promptings of others. You probably sit calmly while the rest of us lose patience. And when you choose to follow the promptings of your heart, you soar with magnificence.”
Thirty days from now, I’ll have been widowed for exactly 3 years. It’s not like prior to that event, I had not “claimed my life as my own” or didn’t have self-reliance, or didn’t follow the “promptings of my heart”, because I definitely did. But being on my own has been an evolution.
Mario and I were together for more than half of my life. Having someone in your life for decades and then suddenly they are gone is a hell of a thing. It takes an unknown amount of time.
So anyway, a heron decided to chill on my roof. Right above the office where I spend many hours working. And good things are happening.
