Since we are all part of nature, we all also share the responsibility to honor it. We know that there are things in nature that affect our lives, some of which cannot be explained even scientifically, but somehow we just believe that it happens for some mystical or maybe spiritual reason. Thing which we may encounter, such as those we call omens or signs, (i.e. supernatural events where people have talked to animals, have heard voices in the wind, or just the feeling you get when your body reacts with goosebumps to a place where you have just stepped on this earth), we try to logically create meaning to explain what we cannot understand.

Is it just a coincident when a bird crosses your path to miss you by inches, or a butterfly lands on your shoulder? Maybe it really does not matter what your belief system is. I read somewhere once where someone said that "we are all still primitive beings with ancient souls deep down inside". Regardless of our position on this earth, (i.e. living in a concrete jungle), we are all still living in nature. Even spiders can be found in a sterile hospital, hawks nesting on the metal eves of a tall building (nothing like seeing a red tail in flight from the 11th floor of a business office), snakes appearing in schools and churches, or a bear is seen in the city coming down from the mountains. Nature is around us, communicating inside and outside of our perceptions. When was the last time you decided to have a conversation with an ant that just happened to visit you on a late summer night dinner, when you were dining inside?

Whether or not you understand the significance to these creatures visiting you or not, some times messages on their visits and their relevance to your life comes much later...some times years (at least it has for me). As a child, I was connected to plants, animals and insects from as far back as I can remember. Living in Pennsylvania, autumns become cold, and winters frosty. I remember taking a frozen locust and placing him in the lint trap of the cloths dryer element and heating him up. Needless to say, when he started singing my mother was not happy with the fact that he (I call him he for the lack of knowing what sex it was), was in her dryer! She told me to throw him away, he was dead.....well I showed her!

Nature communicates to us all the time, it's just up to us on whether or not we choose to listen. Recently, I had a visit by a very strange and beautiful creature on a day where it seemed as if I could not pull myself out of the depths of sadness. Being unemployed, running out of money, releasing an attachment to my best friend of which I truly loved (and still do), and confusion on my purpose in general, I found myself standing at my kitchen window. As I glanced up from doing dishes, something strange caught my eye. I blinked and looked again, almost disbelieving what I was seeing. It was one of those smiley - happy faces from the 60's out on one of my bushes! I could not believe what I was seeing. Just a big grin smiling back at me, and then it left. I looked again and saw it again.....and stared and stared (what seemed like hours was only seconds). Flustered and slightly afraid, and overwhelmed by the fact that this "face" was smiling back at me, I realized that it was some type of special and rare butterfly. I quickly grabbed my camera - fighting my dogs to get them to stay in for fear they would scare it away - I headed outside. Was this a figment of my imagination? Would I get out there and find nothing? To my surprise it was NOT! This creature floated, basked in the sun, and let me snap a few shots. So my blessing was this smiling face, this amazing creature who was sent on that day to pull me out of my sadness.....showing me that my eyes do see what is unbelievable by some.

I have not shared this photo with anyone....this is it's "coming out party". I wanted to paint this little lady, but my fear is I cannot do her justices, or people will think that she does not exist. She does exist in all of her splendor of black and gold. By the way...her underneath looked just like a regular monarch.....she was almost reversed!

Sad when she flew off, I wished for her to come back and leave herself for me when her time was up (understand the average life span for her would have been about 2 weeks), but my memory and this picture will serve as my symbol to be happy.


Before I end this section, I felt it might be thought provoking to provide some information on a few of my favorite animals, their signs and potential omens taken from a collection of books I have collected over the years. Many of these are representative of Native American folklore, as recorded in literature. The most intriguing part to me is according to traditions, birds, reptiles, animals and all things in nature are also considered "spirits" of both bad and good, positive and negative. Look through the lists below and evaluate who's visited you lately...you may be surprised!

Animal Meaning

Antelope messenger, forewarns us of human behavior

Bear - good sign of special power, wisdom, insight, protection, healing

Beaver - good power, warning of conflict in the future

Bobcat or mountain lion - bad sign, you are being stalked by an enemy but could also be used as good luck for protection of your family

Coyote - portraits the trickster or creator-he is full of magic, special powers, and teachings

Raccoon - good sign as a protector, intelligent, cunning and clean

Shark - bad sign and warning of danger, if sharks come close to the shore, it is a sign of earthquake, hurricane, etc

Skunk - bad sign and bad power, sign of sickness and bad luck

Whale - sign of confusing times, but a sign of wealth and prosperity

Blue Jay - warning sign of people who are jealous and evil people preying against you in a bad way

Eagle - special sign and that of a good one.....represents protection, wealth, wisdom, foresight, strength and spirituality

Hummingbird - good sign, messenger to take prayers to the creator. She is a doctor and healer

Owl - bad sign, bringing bad news

Crow - good sign, good luck sign of protection and messenger of wealth

Robin - messenger of happiness, good health and love to families

Ant - represents super strength, intelligence, psychic abilities, telepathic communications, sharp thinking and planning

Bee - messenger with news about sex, fertility, protection and love power

Butterfly - very special bug representing the presence of good spirits, shows of metamorphosis, balance, harmony, grace, peace
beauty and spirituality

Spider - messenger, good or bad, warns of danger, warning of people who are jealous or when someone is lying