I was taking a walk, admiring the rays of shimmering sunlight through the trees. The sky was clear, a truly magnificent blue. I wondered if I would ever get a day like this again. After all, we can't know what will happen later on. The future will always remain a wondrous mystery. I had been strolling all day, pretending I could speak to the trees. Pretending I could listen. What would they say? What would they say to every single person in the world, if they could meet them? Would they act the same, or would they treat us all different? I like to think that they would each have their own personality. Their own unique traits. Just like we all do. I like to think that they would accept us for who we are, even if we've made mistakes.
A while later, it began to get pretty late. The sky was now a dark, royal blue. Clusters of stars, evenly placed, filled the world. Not just space above. I didn't care, though, because the world was even more beautiful at night. The things that were hidden in the darkness were mysteries, but when you got closer and uncovered them, they would amaze you greatly. I kept walking. Slower, now. I could hear the musical chirping of the crickets, the very subtle scattering of tiny footsteps around me. Little animals getting ready for a good night's sleep. I don't know how long I planned on walking, but I was happy, so I kept going.
A few minutes later, I glanced up and watched a large animal swoop from a tall pine tree to another. An owl! I thought to myself. What wonderful creatures. They have a feeling of confidence, as well as peace. Elegance. I stared curiously at the assertive creature, waiting for its next move. What it did, I did not expect. The owl turned toward me and cocked its head to the side. In only a moment, the animal leapt off the branch and plunged toward me, its wings fully extended. It did not seem like it was charging at me, however. It almost was like the owl was coming to speak to me, if that were possible. Its expression was filled with curiosity.
I stepped back, my mind telling me to run, but my gut saying no. I usually listened to my gut. I planted my feet back in place and pretended I was now one of the many trees surrounding me. I felt myself rooting into the ground and becoming as confident, as strong, as the owl had seemed.
Once it reached me, it stopped abruptly, though in a smooth, swift way. The owl lowered itself to the ground slowly, watching me. I smiled. It cocked its head again, probably wondering what made my face light up. I should have been scared, maybe anxious. Why wasn't I? I thought to myself. Many moments passed, and I hadn't known what was happening. Out of nowhere, I spoke.
"Hello," I whispered, with a weird sense of determination and glory. That one word was all it took. The owl made a noise. It was a small, shy 'hoot'. That was it, though. We both froze again, waiting for what seemed to be nothing.
"It's alright," I said again, a bit louder, "you can go if you'd like." The creature seemed confused. It didn't exactly surprise me. I gestured slowly to the trees. It's circular, alert eyes followed my hand, and I could tell it realized what I was saying. How? The owl immediately turned its head back to me and relaxed. It knew I wouldn't harm it.
I hesitantly lifted my right hand and waved very slightly. It was getting a bit too late, and I was exhausted. I didn't want to leave, though, which surprised me more than the large owl.
"I should probably get home," My voice was clear, though still soft, "but I'll be back tomorrow." I pointed toward the edge of the forest and into the town. The owl understood. It glanced at the trees and then back at me.
"Yes, you should get home as well," I told it, "I will be back tomorrow." I pointed at the spot where I was standing.
It turned slightly to its left and stared at me for a long moment. I stared back. Then, its wings extended and it was suddenly off the ground, swooping soundlessly through the air. I wished I could do that.
As I jogged home, I thought about what I would say to the creature if it came back. I had lots of questions, with very few answers.
The next evening, I practically sprinted back to my spot in the woods, anxious to see the owl again, though I wasn't sure it was going to even come. I'm not sure what I expected. When I got there, the owl was already waiting for me. I stopped suddenly, gaping at the sight. How? How did the owl know? I guess it truly did understand me.
"Hello," I said. It cocked its head and let out a familiar 'hoot', just like it did last night. If the owl could understand my greeting, could it also understand any questions I had?
"I have a question," I spoke quietly. The owl stared at me, waiting.
"What should I call you?" I asked with slight confusion in my own voice. The owl just kept staring. It didn't move. I waited for a few more moments, seeing if it would reply in some way. It never did.
"Well, I suppose I could just call you Owl. Is that alright?" I wondered. The owl straightened and looked confident, as well as relieved.
"I guess that's a yes." For the rest of the night, I just talked to Owl, occasionally asking him questions to see if he could find a way to answer. He never did. That was okay with me. I had a new friend, and not a traditional one, either. He seemed to enjoy the company. I was glad.
When the light of the morning had shown through the leaves and I was yawning almost every second, I knew it was time to head home. Owl thought so, too. Neither of us wanted to leave. We had been having so much fun. One of the questions I asked him was if he knew other owls, and that was the one question he answered; no. He had faced many challenges, apparently. That made me worried.
When I turned to leave, I thought of something that might cheer Owl up. It was a saying. A saying that I had not come up with until now. A saying that I envied. A saying that made my day brighter. I looked back at Owl and spoke my words.
"Remember, Owl, that if your legs ever fail you," I whispered slowly, "you will always have your wings."
A while later, it began to get pretty late. The sky was now a dark, royal blue. Clusters of stars, evenly placed, filled the world. Not just space above. I didn't care, though, because the world was even more beautiful at night. The things that were hidden in the darkness were mysteries, but when you got closer and uncovered them, they would amaze you greatly. I kept walking. Slower, now. I could hear the musical chirping of the crickets, the very subtle scattering of tiny footsteps around me. Little animals getting ready for a good night's sleep. I don't know how long I planned on walking, but I was happy, so I kept going.
A few minutes later, I glanced up and watched a large animal swoop from a tall pine tree to another. An owl! I thought to myself. What wonderful creatures. They have a feeling of confidence, as well as peace. Elegance. I stared curiously at the assertive creature, waiting for its next move. What it did, I did not expect. The owl turned toward me and cocked its head to the side. In only a moment, the animal leapt off the branch and plunged toward me, its wings fully extended. It did not seem like it was charging at me, however. It almost was like the owl was coming to speak to me, if that were possible. Its expression was filled with curiosity.
I stepped back, my mind telling me to run, but my gut saying no. I usually listened to my gut. I planted my feet back in place and pretended I was now one of the many trees surrounding me. I felt myself rooting into the ground and becoming as confident, as strong, as the owl had seemed.
Once it reached me, it stopped abruptly, though in a smooth, swift way. The owl lowered itself to the ground slowly, watching me. I smiled. It cocked its head again, probably wondering what made my face light up. I should have been scared, maybe anxious. Why wasn't I? I thought to myself. Many moments passed, and I hadn't known what was happening. Out of nowhere, I spoke.
"Hello," I whispered, with a weird sense of determination and glory. That one word was all it took. The owl made a noise. It was a small, shy 'hoot'. That was it, though. We both froze again, waiting for what seemed to be nothing.
"It's alright," I said again, a bit louder, "you can go if you'd like." The creature seemed confused. It didn't exactly surprise me. I gestured slowly to the trees. It's circular, alert eyes followed my hand, and I could tell it realized what I was saying. How? The owl immediately turned its head back to me and relaxed. It knew I wouldn't harm it.
I hesitantly lifted my right hand and waved very slightly. It was getting a bit too late, and I was exhausted. I didn't want to leave, though, which surprised me more than the large owl.
"I should probably get home," My voice was clear, though still soft, "but I'll be back tomorrow." I pointed toward the edge of the forest and into the town. The owl understood. It glanced at the trees and then back at me.
"Yes, you should get home as well," I told it, "I will be back tomorrow." I pointed at the spot where I was standing.
It turned slightly to its left and stared at me for a long moment. I stared back. Then, its wings extended and it was suddenly off the ground, swooping soundlessly through the air. I wished I could do that.
As I jogged home, I thought about what I would say to the creature if it came back. I had lots of questions, with very few answers.
The next evening, I practically sprinted back to my spot in the woods, anxious to see the owl again, though I wasn't sure it was going to even come. I'm not sure what I expected. When I got there, the owl was already waiting for me. I stopped suddenly, gaping at the sight. How? How did the owl know? I guess it truly did understand me.
"Hello," I said. It cocked its head and let out a familiar 'hoot', just like it did last night. If the owl could understand my greeting, could it also understand any questions I had?
"I have a question," I spoke quietly. The owl stared at me, waiting.
"What should I call you?" I asked with slight confusion in my own voice. The owl just kept staring. It didn't move. I waited for a few more moments, seeing if it would reply in some way. It never did.
"Well, I suppose I could just call you Owl. Is that alright?" I wondered. The owl straightened and looked confident, as well as relieved.
"I guess that's a yes." For the rest of the night, I just talked to Owl, occasionally asking him questions to see if he could find a way to answer. He never did. That was okay with me. I had a new friend, and not a traditional one, either. He seemed to enjoy the company. I was glad.
When the light of the morning had shown through the leaves and I was yawning almost every second, I knew it was time to head home. Owl thought so, too. Neither of us wanted to leave. We had been having so much fun. One of the questions I asked him was if he knew other owls, and that was the one question he answered; no. He had faced many challenges, apparently. That made me worried.
When I turned to leave, I thought of something that might cheer Owl up. It was a saying. A saying that I had not come up with until now. A saying that I envied. A saying that made my day brighter. I looked back at Owl and spoke my words.
"Remember, Owl, that if your legs ever fail you," I whispered slowly, "you will always have your wings."
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