The Coyote and the Hawk

[Bill Walker]

I've always wondered what animals were my spiritual totems, about ten years ago I'm pretty sure spirit wanted to show me.

     I worked the night shift and was on my way home but my mind was thinking about the first nations of America and how they discovered what animals might be there spirit totems? The area that I live in was once very much native lands and still has a very strong first nations spiritual attachment that runs through the area.  As I was driving along and as the sun was just rising I slammed on the breaks because out of the corner of my eye I saw a coyote bolt from the underbrush just ahead of my car and cross the road. I don't think I would have hit him but it was a close call.

     After my heart beat slowed down a bit I started wondering if it was a sign. The answer lay just a couple of miles ahead of me.

     I was coming up on a bridge over the Nooksack River when I thought I saw something scurry across the road just up ahead but then suddenly a hawk flew right in my cars path and grabbed what turned out to be a mouse. As the hawk lifted off the pavement with his breakfast I don't think he was even aware of the car (me) speeding directly at him. 

     As I hit the breaks the hawk adjusted his flight which took him only a few feet in front of my windshield. I don't know who was more surprised me, the hawk, or the mouse who was probably thinking he was a goner no matter what happened?

     At any rate. I've seen coyotes, which are mostly nocturnal, and hawks many times since. I'm guessing that my totem animal spirits are in fact coyotes and hawks! I wonder if I should include mice in that group as well?

by

Bill Walker