Don't shoot.

So, I was thinking, I wonder how the unsuspecting driver we helped tells this story? Perhaps as an unexpected wildlife encounter? I’m sure the young man with an African accent felt very displaced to find his car stuck in 2 feet of snow, a clogged roundabout, with subzero temps, and near blizzard winds. Driving up to the intersection, my sister Kim and saw it was drifted in. As we were about to turn back, we noticed the driver in distress. Stopping my small SUV 20 yards back, Kim and I started awkwardly trudging and leaping through the knee-high stiffening drifts, waving our arms to signal and pantomime we would "push". For the record, I'm 57 years old and Kim is 65 when we assume the push position behind his spinning tires. After several unsuccessful tries, Kim yells above the wind “he doesn’t know how to rock”, and I have to agree. In response, I open the driver’s door and motion for him to get out - I’ll drive.

This unsuspecting man in an unfortunate situation isn’t dressed Minnesota warm, but there's no time to educate him - he'll understand soon enough. As I open the driver's door, I yell over the deafening wind that he needs to get out and push while I drive. Without hesitation, he trustingly lets me get behind the wheel. My sister waves him over to her and as I hit the gas, shifting between reverse and drive, Kim tries to demonstrate to him the fine art of rocking a stuck car.

10 times forward/back does the trick and his car, with me at the wheel, launch out of the drift and I bring it to a skidding stop ahead. The shivering young man and I took time for his quickly gracious “thank you”, my sincere “stay warm”, and an awkward high-five, to wrap up the blustery encounter.

As we drove away, and continually throughout the day, Kim and I get the giggles thinking of what went through the stranger from a strange land's mind when in his rearview mirror he first witnessed...two sturdy, determined, and disheveled Midwestern red-heads: one wearing a leopard-print fur coat and the other a fuzzy leopard-print hooded scarf, each galloping through the drifts and swirling snow, arms over head, descending upon him with unknown intentions.

Welcome to Moorhead, MN - natural habitat of the helpful, red-headed, leopard print bipeds.

I love animals, synchronicity, symbolism, and energy. So of course, I looked up the Leopard Totem and message:

Leopard is reminding you that there is always a period of rebirth after a period of radical change. Thus, this spirit animal is the healer of deep wounds. Leopard meaning will bring old issues to resolution through the reclaiming of your lost power during the time of the wounding. This big cat is reminding you that you have many resources available to you and that these resources can be physical, mental, psychic, emotional, and spiritual.

In hindsight, the spring of 2019 would deliver me to metaphysical challenge some call a Dark Night of the Soul, and the fall of 2019 would usher me to the other side.

The Universe/God/Source/Higher Self in all its mystery and wonders is always supporting and communicating with us.

Do you have an example of such an experience, be it small or monumental? I'd love to hear it! ~ Kay