My writing challenge this week

[baronessekat]

Topic: Divinity


The Grass Child sat in the shade of a large old tree, enjoying the fresh air of early spring, and gazed at her young pupil. She knew this day was coming. It was only a matter of time before each of the youth of the tribe came and asked for the meaning of their Spirit Guide’s face.

Standing Mountain was young, stubborn and way to obstinate for his own good at times. He tended to believe the boastings he and the other boys told about himself. He tended to react without thinking and then refuse to see how his over-reactions affected himself and others. And he wondered why, when it had come to dedicating him to his Animal, she had put him into the protection of Badger. Like all the young men of the Tribe, she knew he had longed for something big and tough. Mountain Lion, Wolf, even Bear or Rattlesnake. Or something mighty and majestic like Buffalo, Eagle or Horse. But The Grass Child was wise in the ways of the Animal Guides and never arbitrarily assigned one. She would commune for long hours watching the child, going on Spirit Walks to ask the Wise Ones, and even ask for advice from her own Totem. And not once, in all her years had she ever been wrong.

The young man before her sighed. “I don’t understand, Elder. What can I learn from a Badger. It’s smelly and cranky. It’s not big and fierce. It’s not even good to eat.”

She inwardly sighed and shook her head. “Standing Mountain, you need to look beyond what you can see.” That of course caused him to give her a look like she had lost her mind. She shook her head.

“When you look at a badger you see small and fuzzy - soft fur to trim winter clothes with. But beneath the loose skin and soft exterior, Badger is all muscle. He is power and strength in a small package. His skin is thick, and all the fur protects Him from attack when other animals manage to get past the teeth and claws.

“Badger is fiercely protective of His home. He is quick to snarl and snap at a perceived threat. But often times the snarling and snapping is just His way of saying “leave me alone”. He is a lot of bluster.”

Standing Mountain nodded. “Exactly. While He makes a lot of noise, he doesn’t generally attack or hurt anything. How scary is that?”

She offered a long-suffering and patient smile. “The Wise Ones that protect and guide us are not there to be scary. The ones that come for each of us come because They offer something specific that we need to learn.

“Badger teaches us that we must not always be quick to snarl. That to dig a hole and hide in it, ready to jump out at anything that startles us is not necessarily the best way to approach life.”

She watched as he absorbed what she said and took heart. Badger people were not always the easiest when it came to teaching new concepts. They tended to rebel against authority and preferred conflict over communication. Action was the preferred way of the Badgers.

But she continued with the lesson. “We can learn by watching Badger that sometimes we need to observe the world around us before we attach head long, claws slashing and teeth biting. Badger is not always one to put manners before actions. But at the same time, He shows us that sometimes we need to take action when words will not work.”

The Grass Child gave the young man a chance to think on what she had said before she moved on.

“However, not everything we learn from Badger is in the realm of ‘do not do as I do’. Badger is cunning. He is single-minded when it comes to a task. He will persist and persevere to achieve a goal. He is not afraid to say, ‘Here I am. Take me as I am. Take me on.’ Badger is never anyone’s victim.

"Badger is also the Keeper of the Stories. When he gains knowledge, He holds on it tightly and will not loose what He has learned. He is creative and does not back away in a crisis. He protects those He loves and holds dear.”

Standing Mountain sat quietly thinking over what she had said. She waited with the patient of ages for him to make the next move.

His move was interesting, but not unexpected. He didn’t say anything. He simply nodded, stood up and walked away. She knew he would think on what she had said. That he would chew on it, gnaw on it like a bone and in the end he would find his own truth.

And like always, she would be there when he had more questions. But until then, she would sit and enjoy the spring.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

thank you for sharing this

[theboomboom.livejournal.com]

Distracted Goose forgot to sign in. Ga'lonk.

[dicea.livejournal.com]

Rock on!

[hearne.livejournal.com]

very well done.