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Thoughts on Being a Furry Relative
13 years ago
Dineegla's Arctic Journal
In 2 weeks I will be turning 59. It's a scary thought for me because I have never felt old. Teaching grades Pre-K through 8 for 31 years has a minimizing effect of age succession. It really does. Being around younger humans makes you think and often act like them. Which isn't necessarily a good thing. lol
Anyways, now that I am "retired" (so to speak) I can feel that spectre, Age, trying to trip me up. Ain't gonna happen, bud. Go join the spectre Death and have a beer on me. Oh, and say "hello" to Father Time for me, too.
So here on FA people ask me to be their furry relative:
• Grandpa (nice...make me feel older)
• Dad (No, I have no spare change. Get a job, ya bum! lol)
• Uncle (I get this a lot)
• Older brother (of course. Did you expect YOUNGER brother? lol)
And y'know, it can be a great feeling, because a lot of younger people look up to me to be kind of a "role model" for them. To give them advice on my experiences of growing up. I sure had a lot of experiences: being a long-time teacher, almost a "man of the cloth", a bodybuilder going for his "pro card", dealing with my faith and my sexuality, changing majors and goals in college a few times, being a Youth Minister, artist, musician, singer, businessperson, and finding true love in my sweetheart
musclewolf.
And honestly, I owe a lot of it to my fursona, Dineegla, because he has taught me the way of the Moose since 2005: To be strong yet gentle, brave yet silly, wise yet naive, and welcoming yet stern.
If you ever have a chance to look into your fursona's "spiritual side," do it. It's a wonderful reward and a revealing experience. Often you do not realize why you chose that fursona. Doing this may help you understand.
Thanks for listening.
Kristiaan
(aka Dineegla)
Anyways, now that I am "retired" (so to speak) I can feel that spectre, Age, trying to trip me up. Ain't gonna happen, bud. Go join the spectre Death and have a beer on me. Oh, and say "hello" to Father Time for me, too.
So here on FA people ask me to be their furry relative:
• Grandpa (nice...make me feel older)
• Dad (No, I have no spare change. Get a job, ya bum! lol)
• Uncle (I get this a lot)
• Older brother (of course. Did you expect YOUNGER brother? lol)
And y'know, it can be a great feeling, because a lot of younger people look up to me to be kind of a "role model" for them. To give them advice on my experiences of growing up. I sure had a lot of experiences: being a long-time teacher, almost a "man of the cloth", a bodybuilder going for his "pro card", dealing with my faith and my sexuality, changing majors and goals in college a few times, being a Youth Minister, artist, musician, singer, businessperson, and finding true love in my sweetheart
musclewolf. And honestly, I owe a lot of it to my fursona, Dineegla, because he has taught me the way of the Moose since 2005: To be strong yet gentle, brave yet silly, wise yet naive, and welcoming yet stern.
If you ever have a chance to look into your fursona's "spiritual side," do it. It's a wonderful reward and a revealing experience. Often you do not realize why you chose that fursona. Doing this may help you understand.
Thanks for listening.
Kristiaan
(aka Dineegla)
and the closer to family i got are in phoenix and finland
so it's very had to pass the day with my questions alone and not able to really understand or know what to decide
but i do my best to act as the lion i feel and take a "bite out of life" in a way
even if i still wonder for how long, and that even if i am way younger than you
the events of 2010 in my life really showed me a hell of a new perspective in my life i gotta say
and not really in the best way
hence why i started writting my own book at the same time that i am drawing when i can and that even if most people don't really pay attention to my work
you seem a great guy to me too and i enjoyed seeing your stuff other time that you posted or journals )
so yep whenever you want )
But hey, like they say, You're only as old as you feel/act and you are certainly very young that way. I'll say "Happy Birthday" now because I have the memory of a fig on my good days and the memory of a forgetful fig on my bad ones.
ALSO, I need to note you about something before I forget.
I know for a fact that the choice of my fursona's species was very intentional. I've always felt a close affinity for both wolves and bears, as i feel I share a lot of the qualities of both. And both teach very important lessons. Wolf is loyalty, a free spirit, and takes nothing for granted. He knows the importance of family bonds and holds them sacred. Bear is patience and strength tempered with compassion. He's a guardian who only uses His strength in careful measure, tactfully applied. I rely on them both to Guide me in just about everything I do.
And teaching is quite rewarding. I absolutely loved teaching at Camp Tom Hale (boyscouts). I had a blast, and, learned a few cool things about random things.
The key to staying young is to never accept everything you know and believe as being the absolute end of the subject. If you do then like the seasons, you are in the winter of your life.
“Kids” on the other hand (and this includes people who are in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and yes, even into their 70’s) posses the attitude or have learned the habit of seeing old things anew. They are prepared to reshuffle their etched-in-stone opinions and beliefs every day and take a fresh new unbiased look at old ideas and surprise surprise come up with whole new viewpoints of looking at them. Something new has entered their lives and they are invigorated by it because for a little while it is Springtime for them and they are young again.
Woe to those who have come to the personal conclusion that what they already know or have learned is the end of discussion or consideration of those subjects. They are Right and everyone who disagrees with them is Wrong. In effect they have made themselves mentally OLD and only have to wait for their bodies to catch up.
But yes, you are correct. That's why I love you. You have fresh ways of looking at things. Like when you did furry versions of Norman Rockwell. I wish you'd do that again!
I’ve got a few Rockwell furryized preliminary sketches. Once I get rid of my list of thank you and holiday projects (3) I’ll get back to them. There is so much to learn from furry-copying a master.
Ah well. I guess that just means more time for me to nerd out about sports with Hysterium and Radrab.
You're a fun guy to talk to, and I always consider my friends my family - a kind of extended family to make up for the loss of trust in my RL family.
and man you have really done a lot in so little time!
Even we never talked as much as others I have always considered you a very big part o fmy life. I wish I could be closer to pay you a visit more often :3
People have been asking me to be their 'uncle' for some time now, and to be honest, I like being known as 'Uncle Moosie' in the family (a couple of my nephews and nieces think it's a hoot). Not to mention being a cousin to one huge moose like you. *hugs tightly*
Though, I do wonder sometimes, since you're married to MW, does that make him an in-law of some fashion?
Um, his cousin-in-law? Or you maybe DINNER???
stay being awesome for the next 59 years!