A Nighttime Gift
Last night I was relaxing at home reading my book after a busy day (read: I was tired) when I got a text from my daughter who was studying for a final exam at her dad’s house. She had been sick the last couple of days, and I’m guessing the only thing worse for a teenager than having to study for finals is having to study for finals while sick. She was feeling sad and kind of needy; I could tell she wanted me to come over and help her study. And even though I’d rather do just about anything than study (I feel like I’m permanently done with forced memorization of material after all the years of school I’ve had), I offered to come over because I love her. And, because I do understand that no matter how old we are, sometimes when we’re not feeling well, we just want our mommy.
So I made the short trip over and put in a couple of grueling hours as study companion. She seemed to be in better spirits when I left.
On my way home, it was dark. I put on my high beams for safety, but also hoping that I might see a deer, which I’d seen several times on that particular road. After a couple of minutes, I thought I saw some motion rather low down on the right hand side of the road. But when I looked, I saw nothing. Just as I was deciding it must have been my imagination, suddenly, as if out of nowhere, I saw an owl take flight from the ground and fly across the road in the light of my high beams, literally 5 feet in front of my car! I don’t know offhand what kind of owl it was, I think it was one common to the northeast. It was fairly large and it’s feathers were brown and white.
I had not seen an owl in years and it was quite a thrill for me. Truth be told, spotting wildlife like that is one of the things that turns me on more than just about anything in life. My first thought was this: that is my reward for having done such a loving thing for my daughter tonight. After all, if I hadn’t ventured out to help her, I would never have been driving on that road at that precise moment. I felt so blessed.
Then I went home, got ready for bed, and went to sleep. I dreamed that we had a huge snowy owl on our front porch and we were taking turns holding it (like that would ever happen!).
This morning, I woke up wondering about the deeper meaning of my having seen the owl last night. Last year I had written about the snake being my animal totem. I wonder if it has changed to the owl? And I wonder what the meaning of the owl is? There’s a book I know of that has all the animals and their meanings in it. Unfortunately, I don’t own that book. The obvious meaning for owl, the popular one, is wisdom. And I DO feel like I’ve been gaining more wisdom lately with the many challenging life experiences I have created.
If anyone out there knows another meaning for the owl, and you would be willing to write to me about it, or simply want to share your own animal totem experiences, I’d love that!
Paul Della Valle
June 17, 2012 (12:24 pm)
Hi Maria,
You don’t know me but I am Karen Sharpe’s husband. Interesting blog. Karen and I live on an old farm that we believe is sacred (and I have long believe Karen has mystical powers). Two years ago the daughter of our good friends was killed in a car accident. The day after her service, with the chanting of Maia’s name still ringing in our ears, we awoke to a crow calling from the top of the tallest pine in our woods. It was a gray and overcast day and a single ray of sunshine pierced the clouds to spotlight the crow. It was intense and undeniable.
I teach high school and one of my students died last week by falling into a culvert after a drinking party. She was my favorite, a wild 15-year-old girl being raised by her grandparents with a smile that lit up my classroom. I could never stay mad at her and her death has affected me in some ways even more than my own mother’s last year.
Karen and I were sitting on our back deck Wednesday. I said,”Mackenzie sat right in front of me and now there is a huge hole in my classroom.” At that every moment, Karen said “Look,” and a beautiful doe with a huge white tail walked out of the woods. She walked across the back of the clearing and into the woods on the other side. We see all sorts of animals–coyotes, foxes, we even have bears– and I have seen deer a couple of times because I am in the woods a lot. But that is the first deer Karen has seen on our land in the nine years we have lived here. And Mackenzie’s grandmother is named Doe. There is something here.
Maria Merloni
June 18, 2012 (12:46 pm)
Hi Paul,
It is a pleasure to “meet” you here. Thank you for sharing your stories with us. I do agree, “there is something here”.
Maria
Monique
June 19, 2012 (2:29 am)
Hi Maria!!! I love your story! So beautiful in every way! Owls have been my totem animal for years and I am not sure what this means but I do know that when I need a bit of reassurance an owl appears. I think you crossed paths with the great barred owl- they are very large and they are brown and white. Right now typing this there is an owl outside my window calling out- I hope you find peace and comfort in your new animal friend!
Last night I had a dream that I only somewhat remember and in it were these very large bull frogs… Still trying to figure this one out, but I NEVER remember dreams so there’s got to be something to it!!!!
Maria Merloni
June 19, 2012 (1:48 pm)
Hi Monique,
Thank you. Yeah, I told the story to my mom and she also said it was the barred owl. I will have to look that up. I got some good sites recommended to me by my friend Sherril on my FB page at http://www.facebook.com/synergisticenergyexhange. Maybe you can look up frogs there!
Maria