The winters in Sweden are very long and cold.
My friend Lis-Marie lives in Stockholm. She is a very compassionate person, and has been an animal lover all of her life.
A few years ago this little squirrel started appearing on the balcony of her condominium towards the end of the cold, snowy months, looking for food.
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Lis-Marie had the strong impression that he wasn’t finding enough food on his own. Her heart opened to him and she decided to help.
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This year, this same little squirrel started appearing again on her balcony. Just like before, right around the time his cache of winter nuts was running low.
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So like the years before, Lis-Marie started feeding him again, and he was very happy.
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But this time Lis-Marie started to get concerned that he was becoming dependent on her. He is a wild animal after all, she thought maybe she was dampening his survival skills with her free sunflower seeds.
Furthermore, she had started to redecorate her condominium, and she wanted to put flowers out on her balcony and some nice, new furniture.
So she decided to let go of feeding her squirrel friend.
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The little squirrel became very distressed.
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She saw him outside one day and he was rummaging for food in the trash bin. She had never seen him do this before. This broke her heart and Lis-Marie realized that the little squirrel was desperate for food. So she started to feed him again. 🙂
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But then, he started coming into Lis-Marie’s house (!) when she left the sliding door to her balcony open on slightly warmer days.
One day, she was working from home in her office, and she turned around from her desk and she was startled to see him sitting right there, a few feet from her, looking straight at her! “Hello, Nice Lady, what are you doing in here?” he seemed to be saying.
This little squirrel was pushing the limits!
She decided she needed to do something. Lis-Marie had heard that bergamot oil would keep out squirrels and small critters, so she tried this, but it didn’t work. He kept coming in!
When we met to communicate with this little squirrel, I could feel his confusion, and also his genuine need for help. He said that there simply wasn’t enough food in the surrounding area available, and he was very sad about this.
He showed us that his body was in a deficit, and he needed a lot of food to get caught up.
Lis-Marie had been wanting to reduce the free food and even stop feeding him completely, so as to help him learn to rely on his own. But this was exactly the opposite of what this little fellow wanted and needed!
Lis-Marie felt terrible, and was so touched by his sincerity; she realized he really needed her.
So we reassured the little squirrel that Lis-Marie would continue giving him plenty of food, and he would not have to worry about the sunflower seeds going away any more.
In response the little squirrel showed a sense of deep appreciation.
But wait, what about Lis-Marie’s concerns? She was afraid he would destroy the flowers and nicer furniture she wanted to put on her balcony as soon as the weather got warm enough.
And he simply couldn’t keep coming in her home whenever he wanted, this was not ok.
So I let him know that entering her home was off limits. I showed him this image of a golden line or boundary around the home and the feeling that this is Lis-Marie’s private den, and he is not to enter. He seemed to understand this.
And further I showed him the image of Lis-Marie putting flowers and new furniture on the balcony soon, and I sent the knowing that these all belonged to her, and they were to be respected.
But this wouldn’t change anything, I reminded the little squirrel that she would continue to set out the sunflower seeds daily.
I could feel him receiving this information, and saying “Ok thank you. I understand. I respect you.”
Lis-Marie later shared that the very next day after our communication, the little squirrel came as usual to visit and have his lunch.
She said he was obviously much more calm. He had his food and then rested for a while, then disappeared over into the nearby trees and churchyard next door. This continued more or less every day through the end of winter, as the weather warmed up.
As spring came, the squirrel never bothered the flowers and new furniture that Lis-Marie bought for her balcony.
Now Lis-Marie sits outside with him on lovely summer days, and they relax together. The balcony has become a resting place for him, for them both!
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Maybe the most beautiful part of this story is what happened for Lis-Marie. She learned that she can open her beautiful compassionate heart, and also not be taken advantage of and intruded upon. She and her squirrel friend can be connected and respect each other’s space.
Last week Lis-Marie shared that lately now, her squirrel friend comes around and he isn’t eating all the food. He comes to visit Lis-Marie, and is checking up on her, and enjoying her company. He isn’t desperate any longer.
And recently when she left on vacation she came home to a gift from him! He left this leaf on the food plate for her, as if to say, “I have missed you!” and “This is what we do, we give each other things.”
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