What's your spirit animal?

I decided to volunteer for the BFC at the same time that someone dear to me realized that the buffalo is her spirit animal. I've thought a lot about spirit animals since then. Some people think a spirit animal is a creature that reflects a person's characteristics. Someone who is bitchy, short-tempered, rude, or hard to be close to could be  considered a porcupine, but that doesn't mean that a porcupine is that person's spirit animal. I feel it's more a DEEP connection with a living thing, animal, plant, protozoa, whatever. There's just a moment when one connects with a particular thing. My best friend just identified his spirit animal to be a sea turtle. Funny that he doesn't know how to swim! I also think that, because people are prone to vast personal change, they may stop identifying with one living thing, and develop a connection with something else. Still, I've changed almost as much as a person can change in the last ten years, and I realized today that in all that time, my spirit animal(s) remained the same. Remarkable and strange?

Anyway, for a long time, I've always thought that the sensation of flying was the most amazing thing ever. While swimming comes close, I still felt that flying is the ultimate freedom. I wanted to be a pilot for a while as a kid; I even got to fly a couple of planes. But, my eyes went bad, and I realize now that I couldn't live the life of a pilot, and I refuse to live a lifestyle it would take to own and operate a plane, so I'll have to resort to the occasional skydive and hang glide or something.

So, I actually have two spirit animals. Maybe it's because I haven't met one of them, so I haven't decided, but they're the Peregrine Falcon and the Philippine Eagle. I'm travelling to the Philippines this August, and I'm planning to volunteer with the Eagles if I can. They're one of the most endangered animals in the world right now.



It might seem unlikely that one can have a connection with an animal they haven't even seen, but the Oracle (the Internet) is a powerful goddess, and when I first heard about the Eagle, I was not just fascinated but inspired to live. I've been showing people videos and photos and stories about the Eagle for years now. The Peregrine Falcon is incredible for its agility, finesse, and adaptability; things I've always admired in humans and animals alike.

So here's your call: If you don't already have a spirit animal, don't go looking for it. Just keep an open soul, and keep exposing yourself to all things nature, and it'll come to you. My best friend was in an aquarium when he found his. When you find it, or if you know it already, tell me what it is!