Chainsaws & Spirit Animals

My favorite place to daydream & ponder topics is while I’m driving, & especially to Grand Lake. Sometimes I drive for hours in silence, & ideally no one says, “Mom” throwing me off my train of thought. I mentally draft the most magical & fulfilling thoughts that usually never land on a page. Silent daydreaming driving bliss, while looking for roadkill, is where it’s at for me. While driving to Grand Lake yesterday, obviously scanning the shoulders for roadkill, I had Spirit Animals on my mind. I know you all think about the same thing while driving on I-70 thru Golden. 🤓😜🤩 & for those that don’t & ask, What is a Spirit Animal? According to dictionary.com, In certain spiritual traditions or cultures, spirit animal refers to a spirit which helps guide or protect a person on a journey and whose characteristics that person shares or embodies. It is also metaphor, often humorous, for someone or something a person relates to or admires.

Most of the thoughts spinning in my mind while driving are future endeavors but memories also play a part in my Daydream Driving, & two memories came to mind on the topic of spirit animals.

Back in 2018…we were invited to join a group of families for a special weekend in Steamboat Springs @ what was lovingly & rightfully called “the Ranch.” The Ranch had what most would call an ideal camping situation; private land, drive your car to where you setup your tent, a communal yurt with electricity, an outhouse with a battery powered toilet, a pond for SUP, hiking, & a Ranger UTV which everyone took turns driving on the property…the guys, the kids & the women. Well, when the women went out for their adventure we encountered a downed tree blocking the path of the Ranger & the options were to move the tree which was too heavy to lift or drive home backwards.

TBH, we all attempted to call for help on our phones which didn’t have signals which was perhaps OK because we didn’t actually want to admit to needing help. Fortunately, someone realized there was a chain saw in the back of the Ranger, & I had enough fortitude & crazy to lead the charge of clearing the path. I do realize that sometimes we have selective memories & I questioned whether the scenario played out as I recall. Looking back at photos, I see that’s exactly how the scenario played out. I surprised the group with the hidden chainsaw, cut the tree in half while everyone watched, moved the tree, & apparently someone photographed the entire series of events. OK, what does this have to do with spirit animals? Well, I recall one of the Moms declaring that I was their Spirit Animal, the Gretchen Spirit Animal. Who knew I could be held in that regard….what a compliment?! I guess I do operate, within reason, in an “I’m Invincible” way so, I accept.

The other memory that stood out for me is a more recent one. On NYE my yoga teacher of 18 years, @dakinijaeger, I know that must mean we are close to turning 40, prompted in class for us to think of what our spirit animal is for 2024. I didn’t have to think for a moment, I am my own spirit animal. Just kidding. It’s useless being your own spirit animal,…kidding again. I actually had already identified my spirit animal for 2024 in the fall of 2023. I would anticipate that most of your would guess it to be an Owl based on happenstance. But my 2024 spirit animal is actually the Eagle & this is why: The eagle spirit animal is a symbol strength, clairvoyance, freedom & courage. They're called birds of prey, or predators of the air. Eagles are animals that seem to live above the earth, far from man and his problems. But from the sky, this spiritual guide watches over the world with piercing vision.

So, I pass the question on to you….”What is your 2024 Spirit Animal?” What animal person or thing inspires, motivates & lifts You? What makes You pick up your version of my chain saw?