Beaver-weasel

The last time I'd seen an otter was in Florida, in the backyard of my parents Pinnelas Park home. He'd came out of the pond and walked across to the canal and jumped in and that was it, gone he was. Blink and I'd have missed it. That time I think he was just an otter passing through. He didn't frolic or play. He just went from pond to canal as fast as he could. At this point I can't remember which one of the three times I visited my parents mobile home it was.  The first time would have been in 1990, then after my surgery in December 2000. Then in March 2001 for my kids spring break.

When I went camping with my township friends on labour day in the Gatineau area they saw a pair of otters playing. I never saw them, though I might have a blurry photo of a black spot where I thought they might have been. My friends were thrilled to spot otters as they had never spotted any before.

This Sunday I was at their place in the townships and we decided to take a walk around the marsh as it was actually 17C. Finally a day that felt like spring. As we were walking along the marsh I noticed a black spot on some of the little bits of snow remaining in a part of the path were we have water both sides of the path. I pointed to my friends that I think I spotted an otter. All three of us saw it play and roll around a few times before it disappeared just before I got to a spot where I could get a good photo.

This is the closest I've ever been to an otter. My female friend pointed out that this was the second time in 7 months that one of us spotted an otter when the 3 of us were together, and perhaps it has a significance.On Monday we went walking again around the pond around the same time of day in hopes that we could catch photos of the otter. We didn't spot one where I'd seen one on Sunday but my other friend spotted a pair on the other side of the marsh on the ice.

At that point we knew it was significant. Because this was the third time we spotted otter, and each time it was a different one of us who saw them first.  We saw that pair frolic on the ice, and dive in a fair amount as we walked along the path. Later when we got to the other side we again spotted the pair of otters and a single otter first frolicking on an island and later the lone one fishing, eating fish and diving in and out of holes in the ice.  At some point my friend was so taken by the otters she called them "beaver-weasels".

I've concluded otter medicine isn't just for me, it's for all of us. I think from what Iv'e read  Otter encourages to be open and live your life the fullest. The 3 of us in some way are stuck or have been stuck in our lives and otter is gently nudging for us to let go of the past and live more freely.

Otter is the embodiment of female attributes, so that tells me that instead of being macho I should listen to my female side which is more nurturing. I nurture others but I rarely nurture myself. I need to nurture myself.  My job in the tech industry is killing my spirit. This job was perfect for me while my girls were growing up but now I need to be more in my own element.

This line from a blog on Otter medicine is relevant " If otter enters your life, always remember the beauty of a balanced female side, create a space for others to enter your life without preconceptions or suspicions. Otter teaches that balanced female energy is not jealousy or bitchiness, but sisterhood and sharing with others. Otter expresses joy for all."

My therapist pointed out that I have severe social anxiety but I'm happy in nature. So instead of dealing with city living stress I have to work on moving to the country and  removing the stress.