When I was younger my great grandmother, who was part Cherokee, used to share Native American legends with me. One of my favorite ones was about The Owl of Wisdom. Unfortunately my great grandmother died when I was six. Though she had passed on her legends still live in my memory.
One afternoon my friend, who we will call Elizabeth due to privacy reasons, and I were talking about our favorite childhood memories. So I told her about the nights I spent with my great grandmother and the legend of The Owl of Wisdom. Also about how my great grandmother use to braid wild flowers into my long dark brown hair and how we made homemade soap together. It always brings me peace to think on these things.
Later that same night as I was outside star gazing and thinking about my great grandmother I noticed an owl sitting on a branch in my yard looking right at me. It was so beautiful, tan and brown feathers with a red tint, an off white colored stomach and yellow piercing eyes.
I ran inside and got Elizabeth to show her the owl and to grab my camera so I could get a picture of it before the owl flew away. Not thinking I turned on the porch light, kicking myself because most people know changes in lighting, loud noises and sudden movements startle nocturnal animals I turned off the light and to my relief the owl was still there.
I quickly tried to take a picture but for some reason it would not come out clearly. So I tried one more time, the picture finally took but it was only an empty branch. I looked up from my screen and noticed the owl had flown off but I didn't see what direction and the woods it would have flown into are not thick so I would have noticed if it had perched on a nearby branch. Elizabeth even said she didn't see it fly off. It was like it vanished. Struck with awe we finished our cigarettes and went inside.
I believe that it was my grandmother's way of letting me know that she is still with me in spirit and that in a way she sent me my own Owl of Wisdom out of gratitude for continuing to share the legend.
Also reminding me that somethings aren't meant to be captured on paper or through a photo but within ourselves, it was such a wonderful moment.
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