I believe that just like we can receive messages and guidance from our intuition and spirit guides, we can also receive animal messages. This is particularly true when the animal attracts your attention, in a way that is very out of the ordinary, like my Red-Bellied Woodpecker. Of course, recognizing the fact that they have a message for you is the easy part. Trying to interpret what the message means… well, that can be a challenge.
However, sometimes the message can be quite obvious… Like it was for me a few weeks ago.
The background to the adventure is that we have a fireplace that needs a new chimney cap and damper. We have the part but have been waiting for a stretch of days that are dry, with no wind and that fall on the weekend, to climb up on the roof and put the new one on. As a result, we have had some Chimney Swifts, hanging out in the chimney and singing to us in the morning.
Thursday evening the sound was different. We could hear frantic flapping of a bird that was unable to fly back up the chimney. So, having been through this last year with a baby Chimney Swift, we pulled the stuffing out of the chimney to get a look.
Well…. what a surprise when I caught glimpse of a flash of red, heard tap-tap, tap-tap and saw chimney debris raining down. Hmmm…
After getting the flashlight and taking a better look, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a…
Red Bellied Woodpecker!
Say what??? In our Chimney???!!!
So, I readied my bird catching gear (a towel, a flashlight, and angel guidance) and waited for him to come down the chimney and into the fireplace where I could try to drop the towel over him. He kept hoping down into the fireplace, long enough to take a peek and then would retreat back up the Chimney.
At the time, my son was on his computer, trying to ignore the commotion. My daughter was on the couch hanging on to our dog who wanted to “help.”
Finally, he flew out of the chimney to a chorus of barking, screaming and yelling. And of course…I missed!
He flew around the living room a couple of times and then into our bedroom. Then landed in my husband’s “painting” corner with his easel and supplies. Great… this should make it easier, I thought. I tried to drop the towel over him and missed again. This time he flew up and landed on my shirt. Hopped up on my shoulder for a moment and looked me in the eye.
How amazing that was! He was beautiful!
Then after one more lap around the bedroom, he landed back in the same corner and this time I was able to catch him. As I carried him outside and let him go, I asked him what animal messages he wanted to share. Several thoughts popped into my head loud and clear.
Keep pecking. Keeping chipping away.
What you seek is just below the surface.
Don’t quit.
So, next time a woodpecker crosses you path, perhaps he is there to encourage you to just keep pecking away, chipping away at your goal. It is there waiting, just below the surface. Your task is to dig it out.