Tuesday Epilogue Howl

After posting today's blog, I read and participated in some discussions about this new practice of howling at 8:00 p.m.  Some people are complaining that it is too late and disturbs their children's bedtimes.  I figure the children's bedtimes could be pushed back a half hour and let the kids participate - they don't have to get up for school the next day.

Some thought it was silly.  They preferred European songs or applause.  I get that.  Early on, I joked about wanting to sing Le Mis out of neighborhood windows.

But we're not that culture.  And every culture is different, and that's okay.

And howling can be uncomfortable for some.  I thought I would feel silly the first time I tried it.  The only other time I've howled has been jokingly back to the coyotes or to encourage my dog to howl with me.

But there was a primal release in that act.  I was outside.  I was lifting my face to the sky.  I heard the beautiful echoes floating across the valley in all directions.  I was saying out loud, "I am here.  I belong.  Where are you?" to my tribe.  My tribe is kind of scattered where I am right now.  But maybe as time goes on, this will grow here.  Who knows?  I would love to hear others joining in to tangibly let me know I'm not alone.

One mom (Cindy Flores) in a local group described her first experience this way:

Tonight was our fi[r]st night in our little private community ....and I didn’t even google it “why howling” but I gave this speech tonight to my older son (14 yrs  who looked at us (my daughter and I) like what the heck??

I said this to him:  

[It] is like we are communicating with the rest of the people outside and the people are responding and saying I’m here, I’m ok, I’m alive.....and while I said all that to him I can’t hold the tears that came out from my eyes ...and I told him ..it doesn’t matter we are at home, we are not alone!! And people are saying that howling ...no other language is needed ..So he came and hugged us and said I don’t understand but if that makes you happy I’m happy too ❤️

Her statement, "We are not alone" struck me.  Humans are social creatures.  We need each other.  We need connection and community quite literally to survive.  This shutdown is a huge change for us, and it just got extended a month and strengthened to boot.  And we don't know how much longer after that it will be extended.  Or how we will survive.

But we have community, and it is in the air at 8:00 p.m. and people are all together and raising voices and saying, "I am here.  You are not alone."

As a society, we have become disconnected in so many ways.  We have disassociated ourselves from nature and from the earth and from the wildlife we share the planet with.  Perhaps on some level this is us reestablishing that connection and grabbing hold of that primal memory.  Maybe it's a sign that we are ready to get real and grounded and connected again.  This final jolt of severing our contact with people perhaps woke us up.

So let your inhibitions go.  Go outside in your pajamas and with your hair falling down and your weariness and your fear and let it all go.  Lift your face to the sky in the cool spring evening and let your howl reach out to the world and may all that worry fall away.  I hope someone answers your call and that you feel that connection.  But even if you don't, I hope that cry brings you some joy and some peace and some release.