Mouse in the House, Part 2: An Unexpected Goodbye
Introduction
Welcome back to Mouse in the House—Part 2 of this three-part series. If you haven’t read Part 1 yet, I invite you to check it out to get the full context of my interactions with Mouse. In this second part, I’ll share another encounter with this tiny creature, one that left me reflecting on the profound nature of endings and transitions in our own lives.
Have you ever had an encounter with an animal that seemed to speak to a moment of transition or change in your life? How can we interpret the timing and presence of these animals, especially in moments of stillness or quiet? What if an unexpected goodbye or subtle shift was actually pointing toward a necessary opening for something new? As you read this part, think about how changes—both big and small—might be arriving in your life. What could this moment be teaching you?
Story
In my more recent mouse sighting—which inspired this post—I noticed a little one in my altar space. What struck me was that it maintained a degree of stillness within my presence. While it did scurry about, it wasn’t at the speed or with the franticness that I’ve witnessed in the past. In that moment, I decided to have a bit of compassion (and to move past my frustration) and give it a little bit of food. I was also a bit tired and decided to put off setting up a humane trap until the next day. I wasn’t pressed and knew I’d catch it. I took a little piece of fruit and a piece of a macaroon, placed them on the ground not too far from the mouse, and walked away.
I returned an hour or so later to see if my temporary guest had made off with the offerings. It had not. The next day, I returned to that room and noticed the mouse laying lifeless on the ground. It all made sense to me—the stillness/lack of scurried movement was due to it being on the verge of transition. I’m really grateful I listened to the voice that said to leave it alone and be at peace. Regardless of why the mouse passed, I know that I didn’t immediately contribute to any of its suffering.
I placed the mouse’s body on the Earth next to one of my hibiscus trees, went back in the house, and looked up the spiritual symbolism for the mouse in general, but a dead mouse in particular. One of the descriptions I found to be interesting came from the Blissful Counts website:
"A dead mouse might be seen as a symbol of something ending to make way for something new. Like I was closing one door and opening another. It could be a personal change or something bigger in life."
This message resonated on many levels, given the massive changes I felt were coming into my life—and the subtle/small clues I had seen about such. I also literally found the mouse right next to a door that was half open/closed—the orientation of which could have given it the impression of going in either direction. This placement spoke to the energy of certain doors needing to close in order for others to open.
Since then, how my life has unfolded—across my relationships, career, travel, and so much more—has been a testament to the beautiful blessing this little one’s presence in my life has been, even if, on the surface, it appeared in a manner that was unfortunate or negative.
Life (which includes death) is filled with opportunities—reflected in a spectrum of beings—for us to see and become more of ourselves. The more we release assumptions, judgments, and fears about how things need to appear, the better able we are to use all of it for positive benefit.
The End
Stay tuned for Part 3, where we’ll break down the full symbolism of Mouse—both the literal and metaphorical meanings of this powerful animal guide. I’ll share insights from my teacher, Diana, and explore how we can apply the wisdom of Mouse to our own journey of transformation and growth. How have endings in your life led to new beginnings? What doors are you standing in front of, waiting for the right moment to open?
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