My friend Peggy gave me a daily creativity annotated journal that challenges me to make something creative every day. I’ve done this for periods in the past, and fully enjoyed it. I find it brings joy to my life and creativity to my writing.

The author of the book, Noah Scalin, and some of the people discussed in the book, chose a theme for their creations. In my own experience, it’s always easier to create within some boundaries than on the metaphorical blank sheet of paper. So, would it be a style (a haiku a day, perhaps?) a medium (a drawing a day, perhaps?) or a theme (dogs, perhaps?) I had a strong response to the idea of a dog a day, but then wolves, coyotes, and foxes said they wanted time, too.

I got to thinking what they each represent to me, realized they form a reflection of the Catholic heirarcy I learned as a child, a holy trinity of canids.

Wolf = The Father — strong, wise, unreachable
Dogs = The Son — accessible to mere humans, teaches us by example
Coyote = The Holy Spirit — wild, elusive, howling ecstasy on the edge

Then, of course, there is the Devil, not Satan, but the diablo, the thing thrown across our path to lead us astray — personified by Foxes, Jackals, Wild Dogs.

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