Wolves, naturally, have always been my favorite animal. Coincidentally, I have grown to appreciate wolves for what they stand for as beautiful, majestic, powerful creatures. There is no doubt in my mind that my spirit animal is a wolf. Wolves are mundanely portrayed in fables, folk tales, and fairy tales as evil and back-stabbing, but, in reality, they are on the opposite end of the spectrum. Well-known stories like Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs are hogwash. I view wolves are cunning, loyal, and misunderstood.

I like the spin-off stories where wolves become understood. In the movie Red Riding Hood with Amanda Seyfried, the girl ended up loving a wolf when her boyfriend turned into one. The book, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, is much appreciated due to expressing the wolf’s side of the story and demonstrating his innocence. When I was in first grade, my class and I presented a play on The Three Little Pigs. I wanted to act as the wolf very badly because I love wolves, but someone else was given the role. When I heard the actress (whose character was the wolf) complaining, I asked if I could be the wolf. We made a happy trade of characters. I appreciated the character of the wolf because I felt as if he was not understood. Everyone saw him as “bad”, but I did not quite see him that way.

Here are the top three myths and bad reputations that wolves receive:

Loneliness

Numerous humans think that wolves are lonely because they howl at the moon. Although I am unsure as to why they howl at the moon—and find it incredibly magical—wolves are probably the least lonely animal. They live in packs and do everything with their family members. Wolves are truly social and friendly.

Slyness

Individuals see wolves as deceptive and sneaky, but I would claim that they are intelligent. They are only viewed this way because they are quick and stealthy. It is an astonishing quality. Wolves are cunning because a pack of wolves work together to pounce on its prey.

Evil

How can such a beautiful animal be seen as evil? I just don’t understand it. Gray wolves are an endangered animal, for crying out loud! Wolf attacks are rare, and when they do occur it is only in a wolf’s instincts to be a predator. They are hungry, and they need to eat. Typically, wolves are afraid of humans. If I know one thing for certain, it is that wolves are not evil. People just made up these fairy tales and needed to use a common predator in the forest. Native Americans viewed wolves as a strong, sleek spirit animal, and I am proud that it is my spirit animal.

I enjoy when wolves are depicted in a positive light, in book series like Twilight and Shiver; I wish that either my future boyfriend or I would become a werewolf. I mean, who wouldn’t want that? They are both sexy and adorable. Most recently, I watched the new The Jungle Book movie. The Jungle Book has the most accurate representation of the wolf in regards to fictional stories, for Mowgli is raised by loving, compassionate wolves. “Now this is the law of the jungle, as old and as true as the sky…for the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.” Wolves are a symbol of compassion, generosity, friendliness, self-reliance, communication, sexual desires, intuition, companionship, protection, passion, confidence, and freedom.

Here are the top three positive aspects of life that the wolf represents, understanding that there are far more positive truths surrounding a wolf than there are negative myths:

Intelligence

Wolves are smart because they know they have strength in numbers. No member of the pack is forgotten. They understand that they are only as strong as their weakest link. When one wolf falls, they all fall together. Wolves are in tune with their instincts. They have awareness of their inner self. An image of a wolf howling at the moon can be synonymous to self-reflection. The beautiful creature feels when there is danger and when they are being threatened, which leads us to…

Untrusting

I completely get it. Why would a wolf be trusting of others if others only see them as evil? It relates to the fox in the movie, Zootopia. It totally makes sense. They are wary of others and are targeted by hunters for no reason, though they are not dangerous nor a threat.

Loyalty

This quality is most important and meaningful to me and relates to my family’s relationship with me. Wolves resemble togetherness, family, and loyalty. At Wolf Hollow, a wolf sanctuary in Ipswich, Massachusetts, I learned that “family means everything to wolves.” A pack of wolves will not take down prey that is too small because it is not enough to feed the whole pack. They ensure that no one is left behind or hungry. At Wolf Hollow, I was told a story of a hunter trapping a wolf in a trap. The sad part is that the hunter was able to shoot two wolves that day: the one that was caught in the trap, and the one that loyally did not leave his fellow wolf’s side.

The next time you hear about a wolf, I would like you to envision beauty, intelligence, strength, and, above all, loyalty instead of slyness, loneliness, and evil. Lastly, I would encourage you to visit a local wolf sanctuary to observe and learn about them in a safe way. My family and I visited Wolf Hollow last year. I adored the alpha female at the sanctuary, named Nina, and was sad to discover that she passed away only a few months after my visit. Wolves can elicit a deep connection from within youself. Find your inner wolf.