The other day I was taking a lovely walk in the Denver area, and I was unusually observant of my surroundings. I saw a butterfly, I felt strong winds, and I saw a squirrel cliff-hanging from a screen door.
That last one was mostly just funny.
Did you know that butterflies are given symbolic meaning all over the world? The Chinese view butterflies as a symbol of long life, the Japanese say the butterfly represents marital bliss, and oddly enough the German view is that butterflies are associated with witches trying to steal cream. Think of that what you will. Going back to ancient Greece, they thought that butterflies contained the souls of those who had passed away.
The Native Americans had a profound respect for wind. Specifically, they believed the wind to be a living force in and of itself. The wind is a god – a power that is capable of communicating a larger-than-life language to those who would hear it. Those who were certifiably authorized to interpret these cosmic messages were shamans, medicine men, and the wise and spiritual leaders among tribes.
Oddly enough, I just found that squirrels do have some symbolic meaning. “When the squirrel comes into our lives it is often a message for us to have more fun, and take life a little less seriously.” That makes sense I guess, considering what the squirrel I saw was doing.
I’m not a firm believer in signs, in that I’m not a person who typically goes about her day looking at ordinary things and wondering what they portend. I tend to just try to enjoy my surroundings, and laugh at crazy squirrels. I do however, believe that certain people/things can be harbingers. For instance, I think that the practice Bar Exam I took on Thursday was a harbinger…it foretold the sheer overwhelming amount of work I have to do this summer in order to pass this thing. I also think that people can be unintentional harbingers. One person’s simple statement can set the tone for an entire night without their conscious knowledge of doing so. They are the harbinger of a certain mood. I have also experienced a person making a prediction that eventually came true — although I think a lot of that has to do with the power of suggestion.
Anywho, since we are all able to interpret things as we like, here is my interpretation of my recent personal harbingers: A lot is changing in my life, and despite the sheer amount of work I have to do this summer I will still manage to have some fun. There will also be a witch that tries to steal my cream.