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?