When far from home, I look for signs or reflections in my new environment of something beautiful and encouraging. It’s a random positive interaction with someone or something. Is it just me or do we all do it? I try to pay attention to what I’ll call cosmic currency.

The latest instance came from the natural world. Coatis are not something one sees in the PNW. If fact, the only time I see them is when we travel to Mexico. On my last night of vacation, we returned to our hotel room and found a coati curled up, asleep in a chair on our balcony. It’s the chair I sat in every morning with my café con leche and a book. Coincidence that it picked my chair? Scientists and engineers among us might dismiss this as random coincidence, but is it? There were plenty of other chairs on plenty of other balconies, but it chose mine.

I was delighted to look out the window to see it sleeping peacefully in my chair. Are “positive vibes” or “good energy” a thing? I say Yes. Of course, yes. Can it be explained and/or documented by science? Good question. We used to think it was sweet when a dying person’s cat curled up on the lap of the dying one to comfort them. Researchers have since discovered that we run a slight fever when we are dying and cats enjoy sleeping on the extra warmth. But could it be both? Sympathetic companionship and extra warmth?

When I got home from my trip, there was a package from a dear friend. It’s a book titled The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, And Trust by Francis S. Collins. In these turbulent times, seeking wisdom is a good use of our time. The Bible says The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I haven’t read The Road to Wisdom yet, but it’s on my TBR list. Here’s what others have said about it:

The New York Times bestselling Christian author Philip Yancey wrote:

“Dr. Francis Collins is a national treasure. Amid the shrillness of our era, he offers a calming voice of hope as well as practical suggestions on how to heal the nation’s wounds.”

And this from famous musician Yo-Yo Ma:

“An inspirational and unflinching look at Francis Collin’s life as a research scientist, a man of faith, and a servant-leader who oversaw the work of our nation’s medical research agency through turbulent times.”

Curiously, here’s the book’s 1st paragraph:

“More tears are shed in a science laboratory than you might think. When a scientist develops a hypothesis about how nature works, personal attachment develops. When that collapses, it can feel like a personal failure…”

I confess, I want to believe that my coati friend was drawn to sleep in my chair over all others for more than scientific reasons. It felt good to watch it sleeping peacefully. Suddenly protective, I left bread near the chair for my new friend. As the book states, I became personally attached and encouraged from crossing paths with a coati.

(The barracuda that rushed in to snatch the angel fish swimming near me is another story!) Barracuda.

What about you? During these turbulent times, when’s the last time you unexpectedly crossed paths with something in the natural world that lifted your spirits? Please share in the comments!

Warmly,

-Kate

Contemplating Curious Creatures: The Coati

Women Writing the West