Finding Home, Chapter 9; Perseverance

Perseverance
Summer 2017
Some of us have driven down the highway watching a coyote run away from the traffic. The coyote always looks back before disappearing from sight, watching as you drive past.
Most would think this makes him vulnerable, giving someone ample time to take a shot, but I’ve always thought they are giving us an opportunity to observe their beauty and fearlessness, ever reminding this is their home too. For many the coyote is the trickster, teaching us to find humour in our mistakes, to have a lighter view of ourselves and not take life so seriously.
Patrick recently made a comment I have always been vulnerable because of my past. The mistake made by others is to assume my vulnerability is a weakness. He feels it is my strength.
Another wonderful experience I had not long ago while I was coming back from the Assiniboia Library where I had been to teach a colouring class. A three hour drive to home, it was getting dark and I was a bit tired after a long day. I was on a secondary highway with no other vehicles in sight.
I came over a rise on the road and in front of me were two coyote pups playing with each other on the road. I slowed down and stopped to watch them. How often does one get an opportunity like this? I considered myself blessed to enjoy this scene of innocent joy. They stopped as I did, looking back at me almost as a challenge because I was in their territory. I was delighted to be able to watch them so closely, and at the same time was worried another driver (this being ranch country) might not be so hospitable.
One of the pups made his way off the road but the other continued to bounce around in his own world until he was good and ready to cross back into the ditch. After resuming my journey, not far down the road a semi-trailer from the opposite direction heading towards where the pups had been playing. I said my prayer for them to stay safe so they could continue on their great adventure.
More than a decade earlier on New Year’s Eve we decided to build a bonfire on the remote country property where we lived, to burn our Christmas tree, toast marshmallows and drink hot chocolate. It was very cold, but we all dressed warmly and the six of us and our two dogs brought in the new year in peace with quality family time.
We were out for about an hour when we were joined by a pack of coyotes. First one then eventually all of them howling and yipping, making their presence known. It was a very eerie feeling to be so far from other people, in the dark of night, listening to them as they came surprisingly close. The sound is quite haunting, making your heart beat a little faster as you feel their power in unity. We listened to them for awhile and then decided it was time to leave them their space, putting out the fire and heading back to the house.
Were they afraid our fire was a threat to their home? Or were they joining us in our celebration in the their own unique way? We never saw them, so I don’t know how close they actually came, but I realized as we walked back I was not afraid, but honoured they were part of our celebration.