“Each of the creatures who cohabit this earth with us have something to teach us. Their lineage comes down from the elders of prehuman history.”

One night as I walked into the living room my eyes fell on a small black ring neck snake slithering across our stone floor. "Hey! Look at the snake!" I yelled to my husband and friend. We gazed wide-eyed and as another tiny snake joined the first and vanished under our bookcase. Their departure broke the spell. "What do we do now?" we asked in unison. Suddenly, another snake crawled out from under the couch. My husband picked it up and put it out. No sooner had he returned two more appeared on our living room floor along with the original ones. My friend and I designated my husband as the official snake catcher and laughed at his antics as he tried to catch and release another five unexpected snake guests.

The incident seemed significant. This was the first time my husband and I had seen a snake in our log cabin since we moved in five years ago. Secondly, my friend was from South Africa and was only staying a few days. We determined a visit from six snakes at this point in time was an omen. We decided to consult Jamie Sams and David Carson’s "Medicine Cards: The Discovery of Power through the Ways of Animals" by doing a "Pathway of Life Spread" on each of us. We were shocked to learn that the snake’s number in the "Medicine Card" book was "Six" and that both my husband and my friend were snake medicine people. The snake came up in both their charts and is the symbol of change—the transmutation of the life—death—rebirth cycle, which is exemplified by the shedding of Snakes skin. We were fascinated. Was it a coincidence that my friend was about to ask her husband of 29 years for a divorce after a two-year separation? All the snake medicine symbols seem to speak of my friend’s need for change. We were stunned.

A few weeks after my friend’s visit I met another women who loaned me William J. Fitzgerald’s book titled "One Hundred Cranes: Praying with the Chorus of Creation." The book was important as it helped me further understand my role in the Great Mystery and honor every living thing as a teacher. As he says, we only have to be awake and aware. I was particularly touched by Fitzgerald’s story of a special encounter at sunset where he and a friend saw a large snail on their trail, three deer among the yellow poppies, a falcon in flight "posing" for a still picture, and a gray whale spouting effortlessly at Point Reyes near San Francisco.

Sadly, two months later his friend was killed in an automobile accident. Fitzgerald

said, "As I look back now on that special day we shared at the ocean, I see it as a grace filled moment. I realize that the creatures we met graced us by awakening us."

Fitzgerald’s story reminded me of three similar experiences that happened to me. A friend and I were celebrating her doctor’s declaration that she was in remission from an aggressive form of breast cancer. Her doctor was shocked as he had not expected her to live because her mother had died at the same age from this cancer. While we picnicked on a grassy knoll in the sun I found a deer antler and gave it to her. She was thrilled. Sadly, she died exactly 10 years later. However, during those 10 years she reminded me every year how much she appreciated and enjoyed the deer antler.

The second experience that came to mind was at home one Thanksgiving morning. The repeated sneezy-snort of a white tail drifted into my awareness. I looked out the dining room window and froze. Three white tail deer snorted and pawed the ground within a couple of feet of Lady, our golden retriever’s, dog pen. Lady, lay next to the fence. Sensing something was wrong I dashed over. The deer cantered off into the woods. Lady got up, staggered out of the pen and collapsed. We took her to the vet but it was too late—she died a couple of hours later. The vet said she was old and had cancer. We were heartbroken. I often wonder about those deer. In many cultures deer are a symbol of love and gentleness. It is said that they are here to teach us to use love and gentleness to touch the wounded. I like to think they were trying comfort Lady and alert us about her distress.

My third memory involved a number of grace filled moments with animals after my three day two night spirit quest that included a fast. All four animals came within touching distance of me—something that usually does not happen. A doe ambled past me, stopped and gave me a long full gaze with her soft brown eyes. A beaver the size of a cat circled my canoe and walloped the water’s surface with its spoon-shaped tail. An emerald green ruby-throated hummingbird swooped and hovered in front of my face and a small owl with eyes in front like a person looked through and into me. With each animal there was a huge rush in my chest as tears of joy came to my eyes.

Fitzgerald’s says, "Each of the creatures who cohabit this earth with us have something to teach us. Their lineage comes down from the elders of prehuman history." A quote from his "Prayer of the Geese’s Flight" sums up what we can learn from them.

"…Like the wild geese, who break a path for each other, may I find companions for the journey, who form the symmetry of communal care, of friendship, not holding back or keeping me in line but helping me on.

Like the wild geese, who know when to take flight, may I know the time of my seasons,

sensitive to each proper passage way, the springtime of each day’s new beginning.

Like the wild geese, who take turns at the point of the "V", may I be willing to take my turn, being wise enough to know when to follow and to learn, and ready at the right moment to lead and move ahead.

…Like two wild geese falling out to companion a wounded fellow, may I console and be consoled, nurture and be nurtured, rather than rescue or be rescued.

…Like the wild geese, who write "V" in the sky, not in triumph over creatures, but as a signal of spring, may I break out of icy, rigid bonds that confine the spirit…."

I have found that there is a presence among all of creation not just in people that draws us ever closer to God. Just as it was said in the Book of Job ask the beasts, and they shall teach you, and the birds of the air to tell you.