Dr. Earl R. Smith II

A Raven Tale
By Earl R. Smith II, PhD

As it happened Raven was visiting Pond on a warm summer’s afternoon. Soft Breeze was gently wandering among the green leaves and pine needles along Pond’s edges. There was the murmur of things past and to come in the sound of her passing. Afternoon Summer Sun sent his rays down and bounced them off Ponds rippling surface – causing sparkles in the soft summer air inviting Small Ones That Fly in Bunches to dance in the shade and light.

It was half beyond Highest Sun and the branch upon which Raven perched was still bathed in the warmth that Sun sent down. His black feathers shown in the glow and collected the soothing warmth.

After a while Raven flew down to Pond’s edge and satisfied a thirst that had been building. The water felt cool down his throat. “I thank you friend Pond for the cooling water and for your pleasant company”, he said.

“You are most welcome Creator – always welcome. Might I suggest that a wetting would do well? Your fine feathers could benefit from it and I suspect so would your mood,” replied Pond.

“Why that is a very good idea. I believe that I will honor your invitation”, said Raven.

So Raven had a bath – splashing and dipping in the cooling water that Pond had offered. It felt so good that he lost himself in the experience – feeling the water soak to his skin – flapping and splashing like a chick first discovering the joys of being alive. After what he suspected was longer than necessary, Raven returned to the bank positively rejuvenated and very wet.

He hopped up to Warming Rock and spread his wings to the afternoon sun. He fanned his tail feathers as well – feeling the warming as the water left to join with the soft summer air. When he was mostly dry Raven settled in for a preening – first working each flight feather from the base to its tip with his beak. He worked with a rhythm that was so familiar after all the years that he had lived and preened. He carefully cleaned each feather – feeling satisfaction in the completion and moving on to the next.

Wings done – now the tail feathers – then the body - as he worked a gleam began to show – his feathers shown in the sun with an iridescence that gave back to sun what he had given to Raven. Warming Rock watched Raven and rejoiced in his work. “You are indeed magnificent Creator”, he offered in the slow speech that was his way. “I am happy that you have chosen my nature as your place to bring out that magnificence”.

“And I am grateful for your company and help with my task”, replied Raven.

After his preening was well finished, Raven flew up to a low-hanging branch that Maple Near Pond had extended out over the water in order to harvest the late afternoon sun. He settled down – gave a rustle of his newly preened raiment – clicked his beak sharply and gave a low and satisfied gwark. His reverie was interrupted by Pond. But his mood again turned somber as he thought about the advancing visitor and the question which she carried.

“You seem a bit serious today Creator. I am glad that my waters were able to distract you for a bit – but you still seem to be on edge about something”, said Pond.

“I am expecting a visitor”, replied Raven “who will bring a question that has been troubling her.”

“Is it a question that troubles you?” asked Pond.

“No – it does not trouble me. There are few of such things that do”, said Raven.

“Then what is it about this question that concerns you?” asked Pond.

“It is the need to provide an answer in a form that will be understood and accepted. It is not the answer that is difficult – it is the understanding of the answer presents the challenge.”

“Perhaps if you tell me the question – and I will ask it and listen to the …”

Raven interrupted Pond. “There is not time for that now. She approaches. Please be still and do not interrupt – perhaps we shall talk more of this later.”

For a long while Raven had been sensing that there was a troubled spirit nearing. He knew that Possum was seeking him out and that she needed to talk through something that had stuck in her mind like a burr on her back. In fact, Raven knew the question that she brought and the reasons why it mattered to Possum.

“Come on out of the woods friend Possum and enjoy the pleasure of Warming Rock. He has been collecting the blessings of Sun for the whole day and they are here for us to enjoy.”

Possum held back - it was in her nature to be cautious and she had a dislike of exposure in open places.

“Do not worry my friend”, said Raven “no one will bother us here. It is safe and, if we are going to have a talk, this is the better place for it.”

Possum moved out from the trees and laid down on a flat part of the rock. As the warmth moved into her body she settled down and began to relax.

“Do you have a question” asked Raven?

“I do indeed”, said Possum “and it has been bothering me these last days. I cannot seem to grasp its meaning. I was hesitant to bother you with it but I cannot seem to get it out of my mind. So I decided to seek you out and put it to you.”

Raven clicked his beak. “I have been awaiting your arrival for some time. Your slowness has given me time for a nice bath and talk with Pond. The day is uncommonly comfortable and it has helped to put my mind in order. I am glad that you finally decided to come. Please settle in and, when you are ready, ask your question.”

Possum glanced at Raven and, finding no impatience in his hard gaze, settled resting her head on the warm rock – feeling its caress and grateful for its gift of warmth. After a while she raised her head and spoke.

“It is now well into the summer and my young are starting to go out on their own – exploring this wonderful and terrible world that you have brought forth. As you know, this is not my first contribution to the continuance of life. Each season since I came of age I have been blessed with the gift of being able to make such a re-gift to the future. But something has happened that caused me to wonder about the meaning of that gift.”

“I see”, said Raven “and what is that which has happened and why has it caused you such unease?”

“Six suns ago I was foraging around Brook – looking for food. The day was much like this one and there was plenty to eat. As I came upon the large tree that spans Brook I noticed a form along its bank. As I came closer I recognized that form as one of my recent young. He was no more and yet so young.”

“I stayed by his side for a long time hoping that he would return to the life I gave him – but it was not to be. Finally I pushed him into Brook. She kindly took him away and he passed out of sight. But the image has stayed with me and the question that came with discovery has stayed.”

“But you are not concerned with the going of this young, said Raven. There is something else that sits in your mind.”

“Yes”, replied Possum. “I have lost the sense of meaning – the meaning of my own life and the gifts that I have been able to give. It is something that I hadn’t thought about before – maybe it is the passing of time and the approach of the time when I can no longer give them. But, I am bothered by not being able to see beyond tomorrow in this.”

Raven paused for what seemed like a long time and then spoke. “Friend Possum, would you mind moving over and take a place on the grass? The sun is in my eyes from where you lay and I would like to be able to see you better.”

Possum wondered at this strange request – certainly the idea that Raven would have trouble seeing anything anywhere was strange to her. But she complied. She left the warmth of the rock and moved onto the tall, lush grass that grew between Warming Rock and Pond.

“That’s better”, Raven said after she had lain down. “Now I want you to close your eyes and concentrate on the feeling of the grass. Take your time and settle in – don’t be in a hurry. Let everything go out of your mind but the grass.”

Possum did as was asked. She wasn’t sure why but Raven’s requests were not to be questioned. After a while she let her head settle down and felt the cool grass cradle her muzzle. Its earthy scent filled her nostrils and the feeling of the grass surrounding her body flowed into her.

“This is indeed pleasant,” she finally said. “But aside from that …”

“Tell me what you know of grass,” interrupted Raven?

“Aside from knowing it is there and welcoming it back each spring, I know little of it. To me it has been part of the world that I find. But I have never given it much thought. I suspect that you are suggesting that I should now.”

“Yes,” said Raven “it is time for you and grass to become better acquainted. Every spring it grows anew – each new spring brings it back. But while it is here - have you seen it consumed by Deer?”

“I have indeed,” said Possum. “I have watched Deer eat the new growth. They seem to like it a lot. But what has that to do with my question – and why are Deer’s eating habits important in this?”

“It’s not Deer, friend Possum, that we are talking about but grass. And what does the grass do when its tender shoots are eaten by Deer?”

“Well, it grows new ones” answered Possum. “Is that important?”

“It may be,” said Raven “or it may not be. The course of our conversation shall determine that. What the grass does is not as important as your understanding of what it does and, more importantly, why it does what it does.”

“In this I am confused Trickster. How can I understand why grass does anything? It does not speak to me as you do – I cannot hear a voice from it. Can I ask it anything if that is the case?”

Raven flashed a glance at Possum as she used on of his other names but then relaxed and said patiently, “You can ask if you don’t insist that asking involves putting a question to it. Grass doesn’t bother with such things as language and speaking to the likes of Possum. But it will tell you what you want to know if you find a different way of listening. I want you to spend the rest of this wonder full afternoon doing just that.”

“Are you going to leave me here in the open – just laying in the grass and listening? What am I to say to it after you have left? Why can’t you just tell me what it will say?”

At that Raven clicked his beak sharply. Possum understood that a suggestion from such as Raven was not to be dismissed.

“I will do as you suggest, she said. “Even if I don’t understand why you have made the suggestion.”

At that, Raven ruffled his feathers, spread his wings and flew off across Pond and disappeared into the trees. Possum settled down into the grass and concentrated on the experience – waiting for a voice to tell her what she wanted to know. After a while her attention started to wander. Once or twice she tried to bring it back into focus but eventually just gave up and settled into the grass more deeply.

Just as the sun was setting over Pond a thought came to her and she smiled. “Thank you Creator, I understand.” She rose and gently wandered back into the trees.

———-

So what did the grass tell Possum – and what does Raven know that you need to learn?

© Earl R. Smith II, PhD

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Dr. Smith is a proven senior executive, successful entrepreneur, published author and public speaker. He serves on boards of directors and advisory boards or as a strategic advisor to CEOs. Dr. Smith specializes in leadership development and advising management on leadership styles which make them more effective leaders. He also works as an executive and/or life coach in the areas of personal growth and spirituality.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 at 6:56 pm and is filed under Raven Tales. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.