I saw a white crow yesterday, flanked by two black ones and flying southwest in a hurry, as if carrying an urgent message.

I never thought I'd see a white crow. Such a rare encounter was one that I had presumed was limited to the shaman, so I wondered what the shaman would have learned from the experience, had there been one around.

Three Crows

It started when I heard a caw in the sky, and it's emotional tone was what caused me to glance upwards. At first, it looked like two black crows against the blue sky, but in between them was a white one, and just then they flew out of sight over the canopy of maples.

Were They Attacking the White Crow?

I was initially stunned at what I'd seen, and immediately assumed that the two black crows were attacking the white one, running the poor bird out of their territory because of it's unusual white feathers. I supposed that they were afraid of the difference in pigmentation, and that they were unable to accept the crow-ness of the white bird.

I imagined the sad life of a such a bird being attacked and chased from each new region that it ventured into, and wondered then how it had survived for so long.

Before I could finish imagining such a dreadful life for the white crow, another crow cawed from the north, and then flew overhead with a similar urgency as the others. Instead of a battle cry though, it's voice had been one of concern, and it quickly flew the same direction as the white crow had gone.

Were They Protecting the White Crow?

Crows are messengers, with each call an intelligent phrase for all of the forest to hear, but in my haste, without listening, I had begun building a judgement of the character of these black crows, deciding that they were attacking the white crow. The sound of the event told the real story though, and when I listened to the birds and their valiant caws, I realized that it was possible that they were actually guarding the white crow.

It's what I would do.

I would protect such a rare creature, and if I were also a crow, I think that I would recognize the white crow as the shaman of the tribe, one who could see in the dark, and one who might lead us out of our troubled shadows.

A Different View of Things

If I were a shaman, I might have come away from seeing a rare white crow with a different message, some profound wisdom for humanity's benefit. As a regular human though, I was forced to look at myself, and how quickly I had judged the other two black crows-- how so immediately I had begun thinking that they were attacking the white bird.

The 'Eagle' Formation

The three crows were flying straight and fast. They were in tight formation, and with the white crow in the center, I imagined that perhaps they were intentionally mimicking a bald eagle. With two black fingered wings and a white head in the center, I then saw clearly what it was that I had been told, and could still hear what I had just seen; the two black crows boldly escorting the white crow to a safer area-- protecting their shaman.

What I Learned From the White Crow

I don't know what the message was for the shaman, but the message that I got was one about myself, a personal message about casting judgement, instead of seeing or hearing what was real.

• I will be careful now to mind which thoughts are truly mine, and which ones are given to me by society and culture.

• When I took the time to look at what I had seen, and listen to what I had heard instead of thinking I knew what was going on, I saw what was going on.

• I'll be careful not to judge others too quickly.

I feel fortunate to have seen that white crow yesterday, and I believe that I received it's message about casting judgement, and making deaf assumptions about the character of others.
There really is a lot that we can learn about ourselves from nature.

---

artwork above is mine, 2018, colored pencils

click @therealpaul for more