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Monday, December 16, 2013

Wolf Teacher

 
 
I have known a couple of wolves,
and they were pretty socialized
animals, but they also did have
their own agenda, which might
or might not include you
as a human in their plans.
The most striking difference
between dogs and wolves was
the wolves’ lack of being
affected by what you
thought of them.

Dogs always care and want
to know you are pleased
with them – and adult wolves 
could pretty much care less 
what your needs were. It's 
part of why wolves have 
self-respect.
I have experienced exceptions 
to that lack of care. One of the
wolves I knew I accepted the 
responsibility to take care of as
a house sitter for six weeks 
while her people traveled. Of 
 course I had been friends 
with the wolf, having met her
previously. But I did not really 
appreciate how the wolf had
accepted me into the pack as 
a “family” member when I 
began to take care of her. 
Ten days into taking care of 
the wolf, I got some very bad 
news that a former boyfriend 
of mine had committed suicide. 
I was on the phone for days 
helping my ex’s relatives find 
places to stay when they 
arrived from out of state. Our
 ten year relationship had continued 
with his family, despite the two of 
us breaking up the five years
previous to his death. Of course, 
there were many cleanup details 
of sorting out the loose ends of an 
end of life scenario.
The strange thing was, with the 
wolf and I having spent only ten 
days together, for three days 
following the news, that wolf 
did not leave my side when I was 
with her. I was both touched and 
shocked to have become adopted 
as a pack member by her so 
absolutely as was evidenced by 
this wolf’s actions. The wolf was a 
source of solace by matching my 
state of mind and then transitioning 
me out of it better than any ever-enthusiastic
doe-eyed dog could have been. I’d 
never experienced anything like it 
then or since.
Strangely enough, this experience 
with the wolf made me understand
how many advantages there were to 
tempering my blinding enthusiasm
with a little friendly reserve. I began 
to show certain others with my actions 
their relative importance to me, and 
people responded.
People in my community took me 
so much more intentionally (even
when I wasn’t serious) as I made 
these changes in being aware of
how I affected them. It was quite 
a rite of passage for me.
But maybe there was perhaps 
another thing going on entirely...
Have you had experiences with 
a wolf?

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