Do you have a spirit animal, one that expresses your need to soar or to play in ways that might not be otherwise apparent? After the recent Academy Awards, my daughter posted on Facebook that Frances McDormand is her spirit animal, and I commend her for that. Humans are animals too. If you have one, what is your spirit animal?

Mine is a bird — a snowy egret in particular, or maybe a cockatiel. I lost a cockatiel recently under regrettable circumstances when my little darling companion of more than 15 years passed away. I still wake up in a cold sweat when I think about it. Dang, I will always love him, as I will always love everybody I love in this life.

I want to fly, and I want to be beautiful like a stately fine-feathered bird. But you might want something else. You might want to be more regal, like the king of the forest, the lion. Or a wolf might speak to you in your dreams. There are all kinds of elegant animals that are worthy of your tribute for you to choose from.

Or you might choose a different bird, an owl, which is known for its wisdom. Only you can decide your spirit animal.

It may be a fish or a possum, or a more playful creature like an otter or a bear cub.

Or you might choose an animal that is totally majestic, like an eagle or a deer. Or you might go for a totem animal, like a turtle, or a tree frog, or a fox. Just pick an animal to represent you, that somehow speaks to you in its language or your own.

And no sense in limiting yourself — all of life is grand! You could include trees and other plant life as well as mountains. Be a vine. Be an oak tree. Be a rocky mountain with caves in it. Or be a galaxy of shining stars, or even one falling star. Be a storm, a tornado, or a very powerful hurricane. Be a tsunami.

And most of all, be the light. Be the change you want to see. Be the solution. Be the evolution. Be your inimitable self. Be fully and completely yourself. You can be whatever you want to be, so be what you want!

Marcelle Hanemann is a news reporter for The Daily News. You can email her at marcelle.hanemann@bogalusadailynews.com or call her at 985-732-2565, ext. 301.