Forest Magic
There is a little trail near our house. It's a mile end-to-end and meanders through a forest. I walk it every day. 2 miles round-trip. It takes me longer to walk it now than it used to of course, but I keep a good pace. I think Baby Girl enjoys it too. She's usually pretty calm and quiet after one of my walks.
On sunny days the trail and the park at the end are filled with dogs and kids and parents. Today was slightly cloudy and a little damp, having rained earlier this morning, so it wasn't too crowded but there was still some activity. I was fairly oblivious to it all though, strolling along the trail deeply immersed in my favourite pasttime on these walks: thinking up middle names for Baby Girl :-)
As I followed the trail into the woods, mulling over names and themes (names of great canadian women; names of our favourite places; names of beloved family members; etc) I came across the little clearing that marks the half-way point of the trail. As I did so, the clouds that were intent on blocking the sun made a small opening. Sunshine came streaming through the late spring foliage in the branches above me, casting a golden-green cone of light onto my patch of forest and pathway. I stopped and looked up, savouring the subtle warmth of the filtered sun on my face and admiring the light playing on the leaves. And there half way to the top of the cone sat an owl. He was quietly surveying everything below him in the branches and along the path, including me. I stared at the owl. The owl stared back and blinked once. A brilliant blue Jay hopped into a tree opposite and stared at us both, while chattering away. Other little birds twittered and chirped in the higher branches. Leaves rustled in a slight breeze. But there were no other sounds. The owl was huge - definitely a mature adult. As I watched he turned his head slowly as sounds from further within the forest caught his attention. Sounds I couldn't hear. But he always returned his gaze to me.
I have always thought of owls as magical creatures. Their strange and unique appearance, the way they move their head so slowly and evenly, and yet so calculating. Their piercing eyes, their calm demeanour. And yet with that calmness there is also a sense of majesty and power. And mystery.
I stood there watching the owl watching me for several minutes, half expecting some dog or person to come bounding down the trail, ending the moment. But no one came. It was very peaceful. When my neck started to ache, and my lower back and pregnant belly started to feel uncomfortable, and a cloud moved in obscuring the sun, I finally said my goodbyes and moved on.
As I continued on my way I saw a woman with two dogs approaching. I thought about telling the woman about the owl. As she got closer, I smiled. She stared at me and barked at her dogs sniffing at a rotting log to "leave it, and come on". I didn't say anything. I looked back after she passed to see if she noticed the owl above her, but she didn't. Neither did her dogs. The owl was watching them though. The owl was my secret.