One attribute I have developed over time is the sensitivity to things that are largely unnoticed by people rushing though life. Without this, you miss so much of the richness of life, the joy of little things. Last night is a case in point.
I was walking across the parking lot at work toward the garage where I had parked my car. It was fairly quiet, as most people had left, and the new fallen snow was muting the sounds in the air. Then I hear it...a gentle "whooo whooo whooo", repeating every little bit. It was a deeper voice than a dove, so I knew it must be an owl.
As I got closer to the garage, the sound got progressively louder. "Whooo whooo whooo". I start looking for where this is coming from, and I spied it. A large owl sitting on one of the parking lights on the top level of the garage. I walk up the stairs to the top tier and try to get a photo, with my small digital camera, but it is too dark and the parking light too bright to get a decent shot. I walked right up under the light pole with trepidation that the owl may not like my intrusion and decide to attack. But it didn't happen. I looked at the owl, he looked back down at me, but did not make any other moves. It was then I decided not to risk provoking him by staying to admire him too long. So I went down one level to my car.
As yesterday was the completion of my 56th journey around the sun, I was happy to receive this little birthday gift of an owl encounter from Mother Nature. So keep your eyes and ears open. You just never know what you will see next.
