My spirituality is developing in a way that it is increasingly tied in with the local fauna. I guess that's inevitable, since I look to animals so often for wisdom on how to survive in the wild. They seem to have some of the best strategies.

More and more, this particular bird warns of misfortune unless some action is taken. The first time he showed up, I was catching a bus. He was calling out from the top of a conifer. Since he was also present at my first offering to the God (I had concluded he was his messenger), I thought he might be telling me to pick up the pace. I'd already missed the bus once that day. I did, and I would have missed it otherwise.

He showed up again today, briefly, then flew off in the direction I should have kept walking. But it was hot, and I was tired, so I turned and took the shortcut home. That was the main road, and people like to yell out of cars obscenely at pedestrians around here from time to time. I won't repeat what they said, but suffice it to say I was a little depressed when I got home.

I'll never forsake thee again, o noble Stellar's Jay.

That surprises me. I didn't think anyone else on this forum was into wilderness survival. We should compare notes!

I wanted to update this thread, because something pretty amazing happened today. I saw a news report of an oil spill and they said something about Exxon. I thought, with spite, how many times is that? I thought it was the company itself that had messed up. But I didn't really know a whole lot about Exxon, so I didn't want to bring it up for fear of looking foolish.

Later on, a Stellar's Jay appeared outside our main living room. How beautiful, I thought, to see one so up-close for once. I tried to figure out what he might be trying to say this time, but couldn't think of anything really pressing, except that I should probably take a break from packing (I wasn't feeling too good today). So I did, and I thought, well, maybe there's something on TV I need to see.

Sure enough, a documentary about the historic Exxon oil spill about two decades ago was just starting. Well, I'd heard they weren't too reputable, but I had no idea it was that bad! It was a very good documentary, and I'm very grateful I was able to see it. Still, what never ceases to amaze me is that these sorts of things keep happening. I wonder how much longer I can remain a skeptic, which experiences like these?