Be A Squirrel

The lion has come to represent strength, boldness, and power. The eagle represents freedom. A butterfly a symbol of transformation. Be bold, be a lion. Be yourself, soar like an eagle. Be comfortable with change, embrace the plight of the butterfly. This is all decent advice. A bit trite, but decent nonetheless.

But the squirrel… skittish, shy, weak, a prey animal. Squirrels are flawed; however, squirrels get sh*it done in the face of these flaws. Squirrels are survivors.

Squirrels live strategically, with intent, with a through-line. Well in advance of winter, they begin to store nuts. Knowing that food-scarcity is coming, squirrels plan ahead. Scavenging for food for the day and future days, all the while dodging cars, cats, and other threats to life and limb.

Adding to the brilliance, some squirrels even “scatter hoard,” hiding food in many different locations. If another animal steals their food, the squirrel has another stash. Squirrels are strategic survivors.

The squirrel-stash was not built in a day. The squirrel was patient and dedicated to the cause, one nut at a time. Our fury friend took daily action, however small, in furtherance of its future needs. Squirrels are purposeful, strategic survivors.

Be a squirrel.

“Callie: Everything’s going to be fine, you guys. We just have to be squirrels about this.

Jackson: Couldn’t have heard you correctly there.

Callie: Oh, you know, squirrels — they store nuts for the winter, right? But they don’t do it all at once. They do it one nut at a time. Everyone has their part to play, so everything just needs to handle their own nut. We do that, we get all the nuts.”

– Grey’s Anatomy, Season 12, Ep. 13, All Eyez on Me