Skunks, Scarecrows, and Boggarts

September 3, 2021

Two weeks ago, I let out Max, my impetuous Coonhound-mix pup, at dusk. He barked and raced to the wooded area in the back of the yard. He then ran back toward me, dropped theatrically to the grass, and rolled around in a panic, as a vile odor overpowered me. After seven years of his life’s many misadventures, it was our first Skunk Event.

Two weeks later, I sat in my basement with Max as the remnants of Hurricane Ida hit Pennsylvania, and the remnants of the skunk smell assaulted my nose. My phone was blowing up with tornado warnings, and although it was still daylight, I could see through the window that it was very dark outside. I didn’t want to admit it, but I was scared. My mind wandered to Toto, and Dorothy, and my favorite of the bunch, the Scarecrow, who desperately wanted a brain he already had. I remembered making a scarecrow years ago, and thought about how they’re not just pragmatic, but also goofy and ridiculous. Just thinking about scarecrows eased my fears.

The idea of using ridiculous decoys to ward off danger led my wandering mind to the Boggart-Banishing charm Riddikulus. Facing one’s darkest fear by using absurd imagery is an effective strategy to cope with threats. One doesn’t need to be a practicing wizard to make use of this concept.

During this past summer of The Delta Variant, ferocious storms, and social and political turmoil, many people have been feeling hopeless about the future. There are reasons to be afraid. But there are also reasons to hope. I hold onto hope that Gen Z, with their keen empathy and open-mindedness -- will save our planet.

Like skunks, humans are instinctual -- but we don’t solely run on instinct. Context, temperament, personal histories, and trauma all inform how we respond to danger. Most of us tend toward “fight, flight, or freeze.” These are metaphoric concepts which aren’t bad or good, right or wrong, or even mutually exclusive. In fact, we often mix and match, depending on the circumstances.

Gaining self-awareness about the ways we typically respond to danger can help us be prepared for future risks. Practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques regularly will help us calm our nervous system in the face of danger, and can guide us toward making safer decisions. The concepts of fight, flight, or freeze can be useful if we approach them as choices and opportunities, rather than behaviors to avoid.

For example, laughter can be viewed as “fighting,” because we’re actively confronting a threat. “Freezing” can be seen as a “pause” which gives us time to make an informed choice. “Fleeing” can literally save our lives, as long as we run in the direction of help. We have the capacity to retrain our brains to constructively cope with danger.

It was 9pm and I was outside in the yard. I texted my neighbor, begging her to come help. I crouched down, scrubbing Max with an antidote I found online: a weird mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap. I rinsed him off with the hose and accidentally doused myself. I worried about whether he had been scratched or bitten by the skunk.

Then I took a step back. It was vintage Max. Troublesome. Well-meaning. Ridiculous. And I had to laugh.