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Natural Awakenings Atlanta

Glo Bunny and The Hawk

Sep 01, 2022 06:00AM ● By Tammy Billups
One morning, as I opened the blinds in my bedroom, I noticed a large hawk sitting on a big rock in my flower garden. “Yes, of course, this incredible bird likes my garden,” I thought. “It’s full of birds, squirrels, chipmunks—and Glo Bunny.”

Glo Bunny

Glo Bunny first made herself known when I was weeding my back garden in the spring. The weeds were tall and out-of-control, and I welcomed the pint-sized assistance.

It took me a minute to see her, and I was amazed that she didn’t run from me. I continued to weed for an hour or so every day, and she would always be there, helping me in her own “munching” kind of way.

Many times, she got within a foot or two of me, completely relaxed and not scared at all. I was in awe of her courage and fearlessness, especially since she appeared to be an orphan and no older than a month or so. I frequently told her how I admired her bravery. 

One evening, she inspired me to sing Gloria Gaynor’s song, “I Will Survive,” and from then on, I’ve called her Glo Bunny. It didn’t matter if I was singing or talking, she stayed close by, almost as if my voice gave her comfort.

After the deep-weeding project was done, she stuck around. When I called her name from inside my window, she’d excitedly hop toward the sound of my voice. I’d never experienced being a surrogate mom to a bunny rabbit before, and I was fascinated by her ability to instinctively know that she was safe in my company.

The Hawk

The huge hawk was sitting comfortably on a rock close to my shed when I noticed Glo Bunny hiding under the shed. My reaction was instinctual. “Not on my watch!” I exclaimed and rushed to the backdoor in full-blown mama protector mode. As I opened the door, the hawk flew to the top of the fence; it was closer to me now. I walked outside, planning to divert his attention and ask him to kindly move along, but as I got closer—within ten feet—he didn’t fly away. I stopped in my tracks and took a deep breath. 

I stood in awe at the hawk’s confidence and fearlessness. I felt his gaze look straight through to my soul. Every fiber of his being was emanating power and grounded strength, and I felt his energy directed toward me. After a few minutes, he spread his wings and flew away.

I felt as if I’d been in the presence of grace. I was unable to move as I watched him fly into the woods. I turned and saw Glo Bunny, sitting there in her usual Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” stance, looking just as confident and grounded as the hawk had looked. I found it interesting that when I reacted, my energy had gotten out of balance with life’s natural rhythms, but the hawk’s and Glo Bunny’s energies were fine. 

I felt that the hawk’s energy was intentionally calming me down, telling me, “All is okay, Grasshopper. There is a better way.” Nature follows the natural instincts in life. Animal mothers don’t overprotect or overcoddle their young; they teach them how to take care of themselves by modeling coping and surviving. When a real danger to their young arises, they show them survival behaviors—fearlessly protecting them only if necessary. 

The experience with Glo Bunny and the hawk showed me that overreacting and overprotecting does not serve anyone. I’d projected “bad” onto the hawk and “good” onto the potential victim, Glo Bunny—easy labels that didn’t actually fit the moment. Reactions that pit one against another are rooted in times we’ve felt emotional pain or were victimized ourselves. As a result, we can be over-reactive when similar situations arise. 

I believe that all beings are also our teachers. And, yes, that means even bunnies and hawks are universal messengers for our personal growth journeys. Realizing there’s a higher purpose in each interaction we experience is what creates safety in our hearts. ❧

Author Tammy Billups is a Certified Interface Therapy, healer and creator of Animal-Human Tandem Healings, a healing modality that accelerates the healing of humans and the animals with whom they share a soul bond. For more information, visit TammyBillups.com or @TammyBillupsHealer on social.
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