I believe that we all have a spirit animal whose attributes resemble ours, some people believe in horoscopes, others in palm reading, so why not have a spirit animal. I wrote this piece about and for someone very dear to me, but maybe it will speak to you…
Born the last of the litter, she was always looked after and tended to, she was spoilt with love and affection when times were good, the harder the fall when times changed. Born with striking features, her beauty undeniable, surpassed only by her charming ways, no creature immune to it, when she strikes a pose or flirts away. Blessed by nature with wit, elegance, and a walk that forces the opposite sex to their knees, but little does she know of it, she is constantly searching for approval, as is most often the case of “the Benjamin”.
Her youth filled with excitement and adventure, she was raised like a Spartan and expected to behave like a lady. She was forced to grow up quickly, partly under the tyranny of loving siblings, meaning well but shaping her forever. Forcing her to move, to push her boundaries and seek food elsewhere, going against the nature of a wolf, whose characteristics are defined by loyalty to its peers and loved ones, and a set territory. But not this sole trooper who fights most wars on her own, not always acknowledging that the path has often already been trodden on, she seeks to make it more difficult at times. For her nature says to follow the herd, her upbringing says go your own way, and her heart and soul are torn, a battle waged against one’s own worst enemy: the wolf inside her.
This wolf howls at the moon at night, for her heart, is lonesome and misunderstood. So much love to provide, she is a matriarch, always looking out for others, always generous with her time, she will work herself to death for what she believes in, and she is a straight shooter, always! She always gives and never takes, she is a man’s best friend, yet she walks alone. A least that is her feeling, yet she yearns for love, the companionship. It surely isn’t easy to find a partner to match her qualities, but people change and grow and with time she will learn to cherish so many qualities in others, that she cast aside at first.
She is strong, fierce, a fire burns within her, a fire that could light a nation, warm a house, breath life into another soul. Yet, she is tender and her heart fragile, she takes every blow with intensity, even though, she fights back, a scar is left behind. Tread lightly, and the world will be your oyster, her gift to you. The best friend one can ask for, never shying away from a chance to grow, she will crawl through the mud, give you her last bone, and dance the night away in the emperor's ballroom, as if it were the most natural thing.
A rare gem, on its way to becoming polished, seldom will you find anything purer, yet with a Latino telenovela spirit behind it. She walks the path of life overcoming hurdles and producing her ow. Yet her path lay clear before her, destined for greatness in all its shapes, she will turn from a wolf cub to a leader of men.
