Discovering my Totem Animals

[Bill Walker]

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

I worked the night shift and was my usual drossy self but I was thinking about the first nations of America and how they discovered what animal would be there spirit totems. 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. 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 thinking if it was a sign. The answer lay just a couple of miles ahead.

I was coming up on a bridge when I thought I saw something scurry across the road up ahead but then suddenly a hawk flew right in my path and grabbed what turned out to be a mouse. As the hawk lifted off the pavement with his breakfast I'm pretty sure he was unaware of the car (me) speeding directly at him. 

As I hit the breaks he adjusted his flight pattern 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!