Day 110 Freewrite - Meeting my Spirit Animal in California

California. What a place. I went there for the very first time just a few months back. It was an incredible experience. There are so many things that are very different there.

The first thing I noticed is that everything is BLOODY HUGE. The cars people drive are all huge. The highways are massive. Everything is very spaced out. All the packaging and portions were bigger. Oh and course... the costs were bigger too.

As we drove through the beautiful mountain ranges and redwood forests of Humboldt county, I couldn't help but be totally mesmerised by the surroundings and scenery that flooded past. It truly is a beautiful place.

Then we have Garberville... What a weird old place that is! I wasn't there often but my friend lived there so I would visit him from time to time during my 6 weeks in that area. From knife fights, vagrants, drug addicts and general weird vibes... Garberville definitely isn't a place I would necesarrily recommend people to go to.

I also discovered my spirit animal whilst in California. For over a year I had a strong feeling that the Stag was my spirit animal (story for another time). When I got to Salmon Creek, the place I would be staying, I kept seeing groups of deers walking together, which in itself was a beautiful sight. But after several weeks, I was still yet to spot a male deer... the stag. With this strong feeling I’d had, I wanted to connect with one in the flesh.

So I said to the Universe....

"YO!!! I wanna know my spirit animal y'all... So I'm gonna say to you... if the stag is my spirit animal, then show me one before I leave here"

Then I forgot about my request.

On the last day, after the whole crew leaving me alone to visit a state fayre, I decided to take advantage of the situation and do my work completely naked on what was a scorching hot afternoon atop a beautiful mountain.

After over 4 hours of being truly connected with nature in that way, I loaded the truck and began the drive down the mountain.

When coming to an opening, my eyes darted to the horizon and I came to a complete halt as I locked eyes with the most noble and majestic creature I have seen with my own eyes...

The stag.

So now...

Now I know.

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Thanks for reading my daily 5 minute freewrite and thanks always to @mariannewest and @improv for making it real.

I had to go over by about 30 seconds to finish the story. Written and timed used The Most Dangerous Writing App.

I don't usually include pics with these but I had to for this one!

^^ This was the moment we locked eyes… we literally just stared at each other for what felt like about 3 or 4 minutes, in total silence, as I turned the engine of the truck off. It was a truly special moment for me. I just knew without doubt that my question had been answered... on my last day there!

^^ I have many pictures that I took in the moments that followed, and soon a second stag popped up from the grassy horizon and they both continued to stare at me. Just magic!