I had a difficult time sleeping last night. Maybe eating too much of the from-scratch chocolate black forest cake that our friend across the street made for the party last night. I cut the smallest piece possible, but it was still tooooo big. But good enough, that I ate it anyway, lol. At any rate, I was awake for hours in the middle of the night.

This morning, I am out in my sisters kind of zen front garden, hidden from the street by palms and fruit trees. There is a lovely breeze, and a sunny sky, which I’m sure is getting repetitive to write about. It’s just so nice to sit here with my coffee and wake up.

As I sat here this morning, before my coffee was even finished making, a raccoon came around the corner of the fence by the gate to the back yard. He stood about 15′ from me, and just looked at me. He didn’t run away when I talked to him. He was not a huge raccoon, maybe an adolescent? But he stayed here with me for a couple of minutes, under the grapefruit tree. And then just casually loped back the way he came. I’ve never seen one here before.

I always believe when an unusual animal crosses your path, the Universe is sending you a message. So, of course I had to look up the spirit animal meaning if a raccoon crosses your path. The site Shamanic Journey.com says the following:

Raccoon’s Wisdom Includes understanding the nature of masks, disguise, dexterity, seeking guidance and confidence, questioning without fear, balancing curiosity, shape shifting, secrecy. No one, including you and I, are ever quite what we may seem – even to ourselves, for in our lives we can experience the freedom of many identities. Be it with friends, partners, children, parents, work colleagues, strangers etc. This medicine helps us to take on and let go of the many roles we fill. Having various identities isn’t negative, for we can learn to become adept at changing identities when appropriate. Over time this becomes as easy as selecting and changing ones clothes. Your many faces are about to be revealed to you. The racoon will assist you how to mask, disguise and transform yourself. Masks are a powerful tool – through the use of masks, altered states can be reached. If raccoon comes to you may be being asked to let go of a situation, person, belief or habit. Reversely, the message may be for you to receive the gifts being offered to you by the Universe.

The mask is interesting to me. I have always prided myself on the fact that everyone who knows me, knows the same person. But, I do see on a deeper level, that we all change somewhat, in our roles from wife or significant other, to parent, to friend, to boss. However, I think for me, the mask may represent the fact that I am writing the 2^nd blog again, and presenting a slightly different person on that one than I do here. It is not a bad thing. It is something I felt compelled to do, to stay the course I set for myself. I felt that the raccoon message was to confirm that I did the right thing, to allow myself some freedom.

The part of this message that really resonated with me is that I may be being asked to let go of a situation, person, belief, or habit. While I have determined to let the past go, a particular situation and person, I know I have not done that completely, yet I let more of it go every day, as my new life unfolds. I have more clarity every day on the reality of something that affected me so much. I think that thinking about it is now a habit, and again, as my new life here unfolds, I think about it less and less.

Writing in the 2^nd blog again, ties into this, because it gives me a chance to express what I need to express, but to not start up any drama over it. As a result, this main blog can be about things I love, and new experiences, and growth. Eventually, I think I will end up with just this blog again, as the other just fades away.

If you didn’t see my post about the 2^nd blog, it is one I started about a year ago because of a huge drama that was going on in my life, and a couple of people who read my blog every day, causing trouble with me and each other over it. It is a private blog, access is by invitation only. The 2^nd blog is www. Livelikewater2. WordPress. Com. If you would like to access it, type that address in without spaces, and you will get a form to request access, which will be emailed to me so that I can grant it. If it doesn’t work, just leave me a comment in this blog and I’ll send you an invitation. However, please be aware that I only grant access to people who have a current blog, and with whom I have had some interaction so that I know who’s reading it.

It seems the raccoon had some valuable insight to give me. I love when that happens. It’s kind of calming, to think that the universe is able to give me what I need. We are all tiny but equally important cogs in the wheel of one great thing I guess.

Love and light, all.