I recently watched the Joker movie (twice, it was amazing!) and really missed the character’s well known slogan:

“Why so serious?”

Today, I have adapted it to:

“Why so prickly?”

This is because for the last 8 months (ish), I have not been speaking to someone I care about dearly.

The other night I had a dream about him:

We were out and about in a pub, and he was keen to show me some model war vehicles that he had finished building.

He thanked me for allowing him the space to work on these models.

We laughed about this, as he was well aware that building the models had been a bit of a distraction.

He then apologised for leaving me in the dark.

I remember feeling like I wanted to give him a hard time, but that I needed to soften my heart a little.

Before the apology, he showed me a little model Hedgehog that was residing in one of the war vehicles he had built.

“Why so prickly?”

The war vehicles felt symbolic of the conflict between us.

The fact that he had been building these little vehicles for months, spoke of raising protection and barriers, as does the little Hedgehog.

Hedgehog spirit reminds us of the importance of letting down our walls and defences, but also of the initial need to protect ourselves when we are feeling vulnerable.

This dream helped me to understand that this conflict between my friend and I was born out of fear and a need to feel safe – we both were feeling this way.

Yesterday Hedgehog spirit visited me again and I knew I had to write this post even though it feels very vulnerable to admit my own prickiliness.

At a time of the year when the space between our realm and the spirit realm is at its thinnest, this message about lowering my defences has come in so clear.

I’m very grateful for that as I have been searching for answers.

I’m still very unsure as to what is going to happen next in this situation but I know what my next step is.

I begin the work of lowering my own defences and of addressing my prickliness.

I understand that the last time I saw him, I raised my defences high.

I now have a new found compassion for him, and I sit with this.

Is there something or someone in your life right now who needs your compassion?

Has it been hard to forgive, to understand, to open up?

Think of Hedgehog spirit and ask yourself:

Why so prickly?

Much love Txx