Millie P & The Spirits of Crows

How many of you have heard “One for Sorrow (nursery rhyme)”?

One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, fix for gold, seven for a secret, never to be told, eight for a wish, nine for a kiss, ten for a bird.

​The rhyme has its origins in superstitions connected with magpies, considered a bird of ill omen in some cultures, and in Britain, at least as far back as the early sixteenth century. The rhyme was first recorded around 1780 in a note in John Brand’s observations on Popular Antiquities on Lincolnshire.
This nursery rhyme has many different versions but the one that I am most familiar with is the one written above. My mother would always sing this nursery rhyme every time she would see crows and now 54 years later, I still sing this rhyme to myself as well as to my daughter every time I see crows.
You may be asking what does this have to do with photography? For me it has a lot. Whenever I have a camera in hand and I see crows, I am drawn to them. Today, it finally all made sense. As I was driving on a country road, I came upon a flock of crows next to an old cemetery (I am also drawn to photograph cemeteries) and I immediately stopped the jeep to photograph as I was singing the rhyme. Out of the blue I had an epiphany, somehow this was a message from my mother. The question was what is she trying to tell me. We all know that crows are a symbol of death or bad luck, right?
Once I got back home, I sat at my computer and Googled “Crows and their spiritual meaning.” I was flabbergasted to see that crows are not only a symbol of death or bad luck but they are also a symbol of life magic and mysteries that surrounds us. Having been around for thousands of years, crows are rich in knowledge and experience and for that reason they are also a symbol of ancient wisdom.
The last two years I had been contemplating the idea of retiring from a successful career as a Certified Financial Planner and returning to my passion, photography and art. Always worrying that it might be an erratic or even stupid decision, I often looked for signs that it would be not only ok but also the right decision. Late in 2018, my employer made the decision for me, as my position no longer will exist. I was so excited that I would finally be able to launch my company, Millie P Photography.
You see, my mother was very worried when I decided 20 years ago to embark on a career where only one out of four sees success. The odds of making it in the insurance business were stack against me especially since I did not have a natural market to start with. She passed away in 1999, never knowing I had not only persevered but also managed to be very successful in the insurance business. As I am on the crest of embarking on a new venture, I suddenly understood that the crows are there to guide my path in a magical and mysterious way.
I always get a sense of being close to my mother when I see crows. Today, I believe that I finally allowed myself to accept her message that she is watching and guiding me on this new chapter. She is saying that the wisdom I have gain in the last 20 years will help guide me to new success.
So to answer your question; what does the “Spirits of crows”have to do with my photography? They are my magic within my photos and are guiding me as I embark on this new chapter. In other word, my mother is still a big part of my life…
Here are some of the photographs that I have taken of crows not really understanding why I was so drawn to them.

Stella d’Entremont
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