Christmas Parable #3: The Midnight Possum & the Hidden Things That Run Our Lives

Welcome to Christmas Parable #3 of my Christmas series.

Today I want to share a story that sounds a little ridiculous on the surface, but it ended up carrying one of the most powerful healing lessons of my entire year.

And, as most good stories do, it began in the middle of the night.

The Midnight Possum Incident

We were sound asleep when suddenly, around 2 AM, a huge commotion erupted in the kitchen: crashes, clattering, and the unmistakable sound of objects flying off shelves. 

You would expect that kind of noise to set off our animal alarm system, but Freddy (our loyal labradoodle watchdog who barks at clouds, shadows, and occasionally his own tail) didn’t make a sound.

Neither did the three boy cats, Rastus, Franklin, and Toby.

If they weren’t worried, we assumed everything must be fine and probably blamed the cats for having a late-night wrestling match.

But when morning arrived, Pete walked into the kitchen and discovered teapots on the floor, ornaments knocked over, and what can only be described as a full-blown kitchen crime scene.

When he bent down for a closer look, there it was: possum droppings.

A possum had come down the chimney during the night.

Here’s the strange part: none of our animals reacted.

• Not Freddy.
• Not Rastus.
• And not Franklin, who normally hunts possums with the enthusiasm of a Viking warrior.

Their silence was the first sign that something symbolic might be unfolding.

We spent the entire day searching for the intruder.

We checked behind furniture, under cupboards, inside the pantry, in the laundry, behind curtains and found absolutely nothing.

It had simply vanished.

Then at around 4 PM, while tidying my wardrobe, I reached for a shoebox, and there it was: a ringtail possum curled up fast asleep, as if it had been living there for years.

It had crept silently through the house, into our bedroom, into the wardrobe, and nestled into my shoe cupboard without a single cat, dog, or human noticing.

Pete gently carried the shoebox outside and released the sleepy intruder back into nature.

No drama, no panic, just a peaceful relocation.

The Lesson Hidden in the Midnight Possum

As soon as I saw it nestled in that shoebox, the message was crystal clear: the things that create the biggest mess in our lives are often the things we don’t even know are there.

Old wounds, buried trauma, guilt, resentment, fear, inner child pain, protective behaviours we picked up decades ago, and habits that formed during times of stress or survival, they all sneak in quietly, slipping through cracks we don’t realise are open.

They enter our psyche through old memories, unresolved emotions, childhood echoes, a careless comment, chronic stress, exhaustion, or instinctive habits that once kept us safe.

They create chaos in the “kitchen” of our life while hiding in the “shoebox” of our subconscious, curled up quietly where we cannot see them.

And just like our pets ignoring the possum, the people around us often don’t notice our inner intruders either.

Not because they don’t care, but because they cannot see what we haven’t seen yet.

Possum Medicine: Awareness First, Then Release

The possum taught me something significant: you cannot heal what you cannot see, and you cannot release what you haven’t yet found.

Healing always begins with awareness.

The moment you open the metaphorical shoebox and finally recognise the thing that has been draining your life force or creating emotional messiness, it becomes possible to release it—gently, lovingly, without shame, without fear.

Pete placing the possum back into nature was the perfect metaphor for how healing should feel: a calm, respectful return of what no longer belongs in our inner home.

This is trauma healing in a nutshell.

This Christmas, Don’t Ignore the Possum in the House

Family gatherings, old dynamics, and holiday expectations have a way of revealing the “possums” we’ve avoided all year.

Suddenly we become aware of:

• The guilt we never addressed
• The resentment we pushed aside
• The boundaries we never established
• The memories we never processed
• The shame we’ve been carrying
• The triggers we pretend not to have
• The emotional exhaustion we’ve been ignoring
• The old stories that revive themselves at Christmas dinner

The possum is not the enemy; it is a messenger.

It shows us exactly what needs attention so we can enter the new year with less weight and more clarity.

The Moral

The things that trouble us the most are rarely the ones we consciously see.

It’s the quiet, hidden intruders that shape our lives until we shine a gentle light on them.

Not every intruder is harmful.

Some are lost parts of you, looking for a soft, warm place to rest until you’re ready to meet them.

I hope you’re enjoying these Christmas stories as much as I’m enjoying writing them.

Keep an eye on your inbox

Christmas Parable # 4 is next.

It’s a deeper dive into the Scorpion Lesson: what guilt does to the body, and why Nature always corrects us with perfect precision.

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Yours to great health and happy hormones,

Grada & Peter Robertson
Master Healers, Founders of the Purple House Wellness Centre, Tasmania
Over 25 years of transforming more than 20,000 lives.

Grada Robertson, MNM
Master of Natural Medicine
Doctoral Candidate in Natural Medicine (Psychosomatic University / Holographic Manipulation Therapy with Drs. Gabe & Tiffany Roberts)

Grada is a three-time Amazon Bestselling Author of the trilogy: You Are the Miracle, The Underbelly, and Alchemy of Love.

With love,

Grada

Disclaimer:
Our content is for educational purposes only, based on our personal journey and research. It is not medical advice. We are not medical professionals. Always consult your doctor or healthcare provider for any medical diagnoses or treatment. The information we share is intended for learning and discussion and should not replace professional medical guidance. Any actions you take based on this content are solely your responsibility.