Completing my training to be a Spirit Animal was the greatest accomplishment of my life. Unlike most of my 1500 clutch-mates, I made it to adulthood, where I was quickly tapped to enter the program to become a guide to the humans in need of our wisdom and skill. The majority of my classmates were birds and frogs, which made me glad dragonflies can see in 360°. I was assured by my instructors, students in the program were forbidden to eat one another, but it still made me nervous when a toad was behind me. However, now that I’d earned the immortality that accompanies Spirit Animals, I no longer worried about the occasional gecko or blue jay.

Our training mostly had consisted of identifying those in need and understanding our gifts. As a dragonfly, I would help people find joy and lightness, see through external illusions and deceit, and dive deeper into their emotions. But most of all, I’d help people adapt to changes in their world. The prospects of bringing happiness to humans drove me to work harder than anyone else in my group. While many of the others were still struggling to complete their final practicals, I moved on to studying the lessons for my advanced degree. I was deep in discussion with Madame Yalissia, a coyote, about alleviating chaos when a hawk landed on her shoulder.

“Pardon my interruption, Yalissia, but I have an urgent message for Mr. Kuuyi. Master Mi’jak wishes to see him at once.”

“Well then, young man, when the Master Turtle wishes to see you, it can mean only one thing. You must hurry on your way,” said the wise old coyote.

“Yes, I’ll go at once. Thank you so much Master Hawk. And thank you for your wisdom Madame Yallisia,” I said, taking flight and heading toward the great log in the middle of the pond. The Grand Master Turtle wished to see me! He only summoned a Spirit Animal for one reason: I was getting an assignment.

As I flew toward the pond, I could see many of my classmates working with their mentors. Much of our work involved skills that every spirit animal needed, such as how to communicate with the humans. We had long been taught that, as a species, they were a bit slow to recognize the important things around them when they felt that already knew what to do. It was our duty to help them see what truly mattered, especially once their minds had been made up on the wrong path. But beyond the general lessons, we each were assigned a mentor to guide us in the special skills unique to our individual species. I had been fortunate enough to be paired with the most gifted dragonfly in generations. Madame Siguan seldom took pupils; it was the greatest of honors to be accepted by her for guidance. She met me as I approached the pond.

“It is the rarest of events that a student be called to the Grand Master so soon after completing his practical examinations. You must bear that in mind as he speaks with you. It is important to remember that no assignment is too small, particularly for someone so young,” she said as we landed on a cattail near the Grand Master.

“I will, Madam Siguan. I will endeavor to make you proud,” I said with my head held high.

“I know you will,” she chuckled. “I know you will.”

“Grand Mistress of the Dragonflies, Madam Siguan and her protégé, Novitiate Kuuyi,” the hawk announced.

The giant river turtle slowly raised his head, turning in my direction. While all Spirit Animals are immortal, the Grand Master had clearly taken that to the extreme. It was rumored that he had been a thousand years old when Madam Siguan began her studies hundreds of years ago.

“Ah yes, Madam Siguan’s young prodigy. I’ve heard much about you,” the wise old turtle began. His soothing voice reminding me of someone talking in his sleep. “According to the instructors, you’re the brightest pupil we’ve seen since Siguan herself was but a nymph.”

“I would be honored to be half the Spirit Guide Madam Siguan is,” I said, bowing to my mentor. To be compared to Madam Siguan was the highest of honors for any student, not just the dragonflies.

“We expect great things from you, young sir. So much so, that we’ve decided to assign you to someone needing your precise skill set. Adapting to a brand-new way of life can be most difficult for humans. We believe this person could use your help.”

“I will do my best,” I said, puffing out my chest and raising my chin.

“You will go to the park located three miles up river from here. You will find your person announcing the reason for your assistance. It will be obvious who you are there to help,” the Grand Master said. He withdrew his head inside his shell, which I took as a sign of being dismissed. I cut my eyes toward Madam Siguan, who nodded and took flight. I followed her lead and flew toward the mouth of the tributary which fed our pond.

“Where will we find my person?” I asked, a combination of excitement and fear clearly trembling in my voice.

“Not we, my young apprentice. You. My part of this ends here. You must take this journey alone. It is you who must guide your human. I cannot help.”

“But I’ve only just completed my studies. I’m not ready.” It seemed that my fear was overtaking my excitement.

“If you weren’t ready, Master Mi’jak wouldn’t have given you the task. And I wouldn’t have recommended you for it. Now go fulfill your duty to humankind.” She bowed her head slightly and took to her wings. I sat for a moment thinking about the task ahead. Their confidence in me strengthened my will and determination. I would do them proud!

***

I arrived at the park expecting to find my person sitting along, awaiting my arrival. I was thoroughly dismayed to find a park filled with people. Children playing with their dog. A couple having a picnic. A family cooking hamburgers. Six guys kicking a ball back and forth. Swimmers. Kayakers. Sunbathers. People everywhere. I’d never find my person this way.

I started buzzing around, hoping inspiration would hit. I’d been told by all my instructors that when you found your person, you instantly knew. It was like being struck by lightning. I flew by the guys with the ball, anticipating the energy to spark. They looked like the kind of guys who were about to set out into the world and begin their lives. Surely, one of them needed a guide. I circled them several times, but all I got was swatted at by one of the guys.

I made a few trips around the park, but my bolt of lightning never struck. This was hopeless. I flew over and landed by a group of children playing. Perhaps one of them was about to start something new.

“You’re going about it all wrong,” a voice said coming up below me. Startled, I looked around and saw a golden retriever sitting just beneath the limb I had perched on. “First assignment?”

“Yeah. Is it that obvious that I have no idea what I’m doing?”

“Yes, it is.” She laughed.

“Good to know that I’m already a joke, and it’s only my first gig.”

“You’re not a joke. It’s just that you’re going about this all wrong. You’re so busy flitting around that you’re missing all the people here who need Spirit Guides,” she said. “You need to focus on listening to their souls.”

“How do I listen to their souls? I can barely hear their words with all the noise around here.” The children playing under the tree were particularly noisy. All but one. One seemed to be a bit more reticent than the others. A quiet little girl ran along behind the others, never quite playing, always on the edge of the group.

“Focus on their feelings. Not on their noise,” she said as she moved off to sit nearer the children. The quiet little girl sat down beside her while the others continued to play. The golden coat of the dog glimmered in the sunlight as she spoke quietly to the little girl. She sat silently, picking flowers and focusing on the words her Spirit Guide was giving her. She looked a bit reluctant at first, but I could tell the kind words she was hearing bolstered her confidence. Eventually, she stood up and rejoined the group of children as they skipped along the river bank. She gave each of the other little girls a flower, and they all began dancing together in a circle. A smile appeared on the little girl’s face for the first time.

“That’s why we do it,” said the Golden. “Now go find your person.”

I took the retriever’s advice and started listening more carefully. I tried to filter out all the excess noise and focus on the emotions behind the words. I let the rhythm of my wings match the flow of their words. Soon, I found a young woman sitting on a blanket next to a young man. She looked very nervous, as if she was trying to work up the nerve to tell him something. I lit among a crop of irises just behind the young man and focused all my attention on the woman. My senses started to tingle. I could feel her energy, and suddenly I knew why she needed me. She’s pregnant. This was exactly what I do. What bigger change in life is there than the birth of a child. My wings twitched as I got ready to take flight.

“Hold on there, Hot Shot,” said a twitchy voice said from behind me. “She’s pregnant with twins. You’re way out of your league here.” A small rabbit bounded past me and snuggled up beside the woman. I could see her tension melt away as the comforting sensations seeped into her body.

“I’m pregnant!” she announced abruptly. The joy that flashed across the young man’s face drained any other trepidation the mother-to-be had had, and they fell into each other’s arms. The rabbit looked back at me as he cuddled in between them. “Not the kind of change you’re needed for, my friend. Keep looking.”

Maybe my person wasn’t on the shore. Lots of people where out swimming and playing in the water. Perhaps it’s one of them who needs my help. I darted out across the water, trying to sense who was about to have a major change in their lives. None of the swimmers seemed to fit the bill, so I moved on to the people in the boats. The kayakers were all so busy paddling, that none of them seemed to have anything on their minds but aching muscles or winning a race with their friends. Finally, I came across a couple of guys in a canoe who made my wings vibrate with excitement.

I touched down on the edge of the boat and let my senses take over. Suddenly, it came to me. The blond guy is going to propose. I zipped around them trying to get a feel for how it was going to go. Clearly, they were both in love, so it shouldn’t be a problem. What kind of help would they be needing from me? Was getting married that big a change that they needed a Spirit Guide? The blond guy let go of the oars when they reached the middle of the river. The gentle flow of the water would take them downstream, but at a lovely, leisurely pace. He had certainly picked a most romantic spot to pop the question. As he reached into his pocket to pull out the ring, a loud voice honked behind me.

“Calm yourself there, Junior. These guys are going to need all the love they can get when their families find out. Let an expert handle this.” I’d always heard that swans were the least friendly of the Spirit Animals. This one seemed intent on proving the stereotype correct.

As the two men hugged in the canoe, I couldn’t help but think that I could have been some help as they navigated a new life together. But perhaps the swan was right; maybe a marriage was too big for a first assignment.

I headed back to shore and listened in on a variety of conversations. Nothing seemed to jump out at me as requiring the aid of a Spirit Animal. At last, I saw a young man in a red, striped shirt and a backwards baseball cap sitting on a picnic table by himself. I didn’t so much fly towards him as much as I was pulled in his direction. His electricity surged through me as I landed on tree branch directly above his head. Everything I had been told about knowing it when you found your person was true. It’s as if I’d been struck by lightning. I didn’t know precisely why he needed me, but I knew he was about to go a journey of transition that required my help. We were in it together.

His face lit up as he saw a group of his friends heading toward his picnic table. He jumped up and waved them over, excited but anxious. I flew down and landed on the bill of his cap, trying to let my positive energy strengthen his resolve. Whatever he needed to tell them, he needed courage.

A beautiful girl with a long ginger braid down her back was the first of the group to arrive. She pulled my boy in for a long hug as the others gathered around.

“Ok, Beth, we all here. What’s this all about?” Beth?  I thought to myself. Why did she call him Beth?

“I’ve finally decided. My new name is Adam. I’m changing it tomorrow.”