Spirit Animal

 

I recently watched the movie Couples Retreat, which I have seen many times. It is a comfort movie for me. Part of the movie has each couple being presented with their ‘spirit animal’ and that, of course, got me thinking.

There have been studies done, cultures that believe, and even people who identify with spirit animals. If you Google spirit animal, you will find many ‘quizzes’ that will help you identify ‘your’ spirit animal. Google also defines this subject as a spirit animal refers to a spirit which helps guide or protect a person on a journey and whose characteristics that person shares or embodies.

People have chosen many majestic animals such as the wolf, eagle, bear, lion, and cougar, to mention a few. I began thinking of who best identifies with me and my personality and I came up with a cartoon character based on a real animal. The Tasmanian Devil. Also referred to as Taz in the Looney Toons universe.

Taz is generally portrayed as a ferocious, albeit dim-witted, carnivore with a notoriously short temper and little patience. He is described as a ‘vicious, evil-tempered brute with jaws like a steel trap’. Though he can be very devious, he is also sweet at times. His enormous appetite seems to know no bounds, as he will eat anything in his path. He is best known for his speech consisting mostly of grunts, growls, and rasps as well as his ability to spin like a vortex and bite through nearly anything. While in motion, he’s often depicted as a spinning tornado, drilling himself through trees or soil. Taz does have one weakness: he can be calmed by almost any music. While in this calm state, he can be easily dealt with.

Like Taz, I have a voracious appetite that seems to never be satisfied. My patience is limited, but fortunately, medication helps to keep it in check. I am short-tempered, which is kept in check by medication, sometimes causes me to come across as dim-witted when discussing different subjects. My wife criticized my latest Facebook post, calling it my "typical" deceptive post, claiming I didn't provide the full story. Unaware of the posting rules, I made a dim-witted mistake. Finally, music has always been one of my go-to methods for finding calm. Not every genre or artist has the power to do it, but some music, unlike Taz, can create that impact. I suppose once my wife has indulged in a music session, she might be more inclined to handle my requests.

Until next time,

Tim