Friday, June 23, 2017

Shadow Rabbit, Firefly

I had a run in with a rabbit recently. It was the surrounding circumstances which made it a notable encounter. I was enjoying an evening walk when I noticed that I had two shadows. I had one of those split-second moments of disorientation before the rational mind kicks in, saying reasonable things like, "There are two light sources because the sun is down, dumbass, and the artificial lights have gone on." Nevertheless, a mystic takes moments like this to reflect on possible symbolic interpretations. I had just started considering this when a rabbit ran straight across my path. When I looked back down at my shadows, the second was gone! As you might imagine, with my mystic mind engaged, my first thought was wondering whether the rabbit had been my second shadow or had stolen my second shadow. (This is notable in reference to my poem "Hydramanita" which refers to a "shadow rabbit"!) I considered who the rabbit might have been. But this was all conjecture. I walked on to my destination, putting it out of my mind. On my return trip, I noticed a firefly in the same spot where the rabbit had crossed my path! (Fireflies are omens to me.) Just one lonely firefly, sitting in the same spot the rabbit had run to. I approached and its light went out. I waited for what seemed to be an unreasonably long time, but no glow showed. I walked to the spot from which I was fairly certain I had seen it shining and looked directly down. Between my feet, slowly illuminating as if time had been stretched like taffy, there was the firefly. I stood staring in wonder for some time before I snapped out of it "So," I considered, "Perhaps there's something important about this place. I should memorize it." I examined the area, carefully noting in my visual record how far I was from the fence, the tree to the left, the tree to the right... I turned to look across the street and there was the house I'd been looking for! (When my car broke down, the AAA driver who towed my car -and myself- home turned out to live on my street, not far from me! He had described his house and I'd been trying to figure out which one it could be ever since. This one matched the description perfectly.) So, what does all this mean? I have no idea. If you have an idea, leave it in the comments below. For the time being, I'm satisfied with it having been a simple experience of innocent wonder. A sense of wonder is the well-spring of self-less joy.