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COYOTE ARCHIVE
Dick Prosapio aka, Coyote is a member of the TMC Advisory Council, ceremonialist, psycho-
therapist (ret.), author, leader of men's experiential workshops, & Co-founder of The Foundation for Common Sense. He lives with his wife and daughter in Stanley, NM
For more info about Dick Prosapio, visit his web-site:
Spirit/ Earth Path
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The Day the Buffalo Came
and Our Daughter Left.
by
Dick Prosapio © 2004
"Holy Cow"! is what I would have said if I were 14. But when I walked into my office and saw four buffalo grazing just outside my windows my exclamation referred to more basic cow by-products.
There they were, shaggy, ear tagged, and big as small earthmovers, munching away on our newly greened grasses. No, this is not even a rare occasion for us. The buffalo never ranged this far south in New Mexico. The only herd in the state is a couple of hours north and, though fences do not stop them, it would be a long walk to our place.
Instead of grabbing the camera and getting the shots I would need to cut down on verbal descriptions, I ran out the front door hoping they were young enough to be shooed off and not feeling territorial as yet. After a few "He-yahs!" the startled bunch made for our road and took off South to quieter pastures.
When cattle invade our spread the devastation is widespread and total. They will eat anything and everything in sight, knock down rain gutters, scratch themselves on house corners, gobble our carefully tended flowers, trample and poop all over the area in general. By contrast the buffalo were quite polite during their visit, munching and moving, a few bites of chive, a drink from the bird/dog water and that was it. But I had no way of knowing that till I did a survey later.
Our old dog "Wuf" was breathing hard when he showed up to report the invasion, a little late, but certainly awed by the size of these large and unresponsive "dogs". Luckily, our younger pup wasn't around or there might have been an uproar we could have done without.
Meanwhile, a few weeks ago, our oldest daughter, now 20, had finally left her very odd boyfriend, the one who really doesn't feel up to holding a job for more than two or three months at a time while she supports him, and she had come home to get her life together. She was pale and thin and worn out, as she usually is when involved with him, and this time, "At last!" we thought, fed up.
So to speak.
After a week or two of withdrawal symptoms she began to rally, getting a part time job, and getting herself into the local Community College, and making plans for recovery. Her "addiction" to him was more than she could totally overcome all at once and she displayed all the symptoms of someone dropping a bad habit.
Little by little, his siren call resumed in her and, since we didn't tie her to the mast, she began to respond in the old ways to his allure. Two days after the buffalo left, she did too.
But she's stronger this time. She's getting a life of her own and has dreams and expectations. One of them being that he will support her in pursuit of what she desires for a change rather than the one-way street which existed before.
You and I know this won't last. What with leopards and spots and all.......but we wish her well and pray that all the lessons will be learned more quickly and easily.....and, importantly for us, we remembered to let go of the bicycle seat again hoping this time that there will be no CRASH! as she moves back into the traffic of her life.
As for the buffalo, maybe they'll come back for another try at the bird water dish. This time we'll get autographs.
Dick Prosapio ©2004, All Rights Reserved
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