Coyote Encounter

A coyote and I almost ran into each other on my morning walk. I was headed east and the coyote was headed west. We both stopped and looked at each other, making decisions about our next moves. I was not afraid, and felt no fear from the coyote, rather we both seemed to be calculating out next moves. I stepped to my right, as did the coyote, and we continued on our ways, passing each other several feet apart.

Just before we met, I had been thinking about my life, wondering what was in front of me, what next steps I should take. And just as I rounded a corner there was coyote. While I know that not every event has spiritual meaning, this one had possibilities in that arena.

Coyotes represent, in many cultures, the trickster who teaches us that we should not take life so seriously. As with all tricksters, the lessons of coyote are never direct, they always come “around corners” in the form of a question or a puzzle. In a few minutes I noticed a trail I had never seen before, and with coyote in mind, I decided to travel down a path never taken.

 The trail meandered along the river, around rocks and trees, through open spaces into thickets of aspens. My body and mind relaxed, leaving behind concerns about future choices. My perspective shifted and I was aware of the trees whispering, the river singing, and the rocks silently observing the passing of time. My minor worries slipped between the slats of a wooden bridge and floated down stream on their own journey.

And then I realized that coyote had given me a spiritual message, in the form of a conundrum wrapped in a riddle, solving a mystery. I was meant for winding paths not taken; ones that lead to possibilities not explored. Meandering paths lead to beauty and challenges, obstacles and challenges, and, if we are willing to embrace the world of ambiguity and paradox, our souls craving.