Crows

My favorite tarot deck - Crow's Magick 

As you can see, I love crows. They are, without doubt, my favorite bird. Most people would find this odd. Crows are not beautiful. Their plumage is dull, varying from deep gray to undertaker black. Their song is non-existent. They have a call, but no one would describe it as pleasing. They are not sweet, they do not frolic merrily at your feeder, they are not pictured with springtime flowers on greeting cards.

But I love them completely. Why?

1. Crows are survivors. They succeed anywhere, under any conditions. They do whatever it takes to make it and will be the last one standing when disaster strikes. It doesn't matter what it takes - picking through trash, cleaning a carcass on the road, fighting a hawk twice their size - the crow will win out.

2. Crows are determined. They get what they want. Again, they do what it takes to attain their goals and obtain their wants.

3. Crows have no fear. They look upon everything in the world as normal and common. There is nothing to fear in the mundane.

4. Crows delight in solitude and companionship. Some birds must be solitary, others must be paired, many must exist in groups. Crows move into and out of any of these situations with ease. They are as content with themselves as they are with a mate or with a crowd (splendidly termed a "murder").

5. Crows get along well with most everyone. Crows are often found in very mixed groups of birds. They move among them with obvious ease, but without ever losing their unique identity.

6. Crows are smart. They problem-solve, they evaluate situations, they make choices based on analysis.

7. Crows have personality. Crows do not blend into the background. They do not morph into a clone of their compatriots. They have individuality, specific behaviors, likes and dislikes.

8. Crows are independent. They march to the beat of no other drum but their own.

Basically, I am a crow. Perhaps I will actually be one in the next life. I wonder, though, can a vegetarian be a crow?