Dozing polar bear, Indianapolis Zoo

Monday, July 06, 2009

Owl omen

In Mexico, it is believed that an owl's appearance can predict a death: owls are bad omens there and supernatural powers are attributed to them....More in line with the Native Americans of Southern California who believe that owls are sent to guide us through dark places as friends, I consider owls a good omens....[F]or me, every time I have been about to go through a major change in my life -- for the better -- a flesh-and-blood owl appears right at the time I'm making a decision. They do seem to appear to guide me.

Stacey O'Brien, Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl

Pizza was calling, and so we hiked out fifteen miles on Saturday, even though we'd planned to camp a couple miles from the trailhead and hike out Sunday morning. We emerged from the forest very close to dark, and lugged full packs and the dog into the car with a groan. By the time we drove the 11 miles to the main national forest road, it was completely dark and drizzling.

We drove around curve after curve, tailed for awhile by a large, impatient truck. At exactly the same moment the truck swerved into the left lane to leave us in the dust, our headlights shone on a statue sitting perfectly still on the yellow line in the middle of the road.

Except it wasn't a statue. It was an owl, sitting perfectly upright, illuminated by our headlights, staring straight at us. The truck passed on the left and we swerved to the right.

The owl never moved.

I don't know whether that owl was a harbinger of death, or of further change, or just an owl sitting on the yellow line. I just feel blessed to have seen her.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. Goosebumps!

Fran said...

Remarkable story!
An owl sitting on the middle of road! I think you best see this as an harbinger of change. ..maybe it sat there to warn you for danger!
Two months ago that book of Wesley the Owl was not yet available in Belgium! I must find out when it's going to come out here.

Jackie said...

This literally just happened to me tonight.. been researching it and came across this.. any update to this post??

Anonymous said...

Two nights ago my daughter and I were driving home and an owl appeared in the middle of the road on the center yellow lines and it did not waver on bit until after we passed it flew away. We did not see it until we were right upon it! I have been searching all kinds of things to find the meaning-most of what I have found had been that it is a predictor if death, or that it represents discernment in a difficult situation.

Anonymous said...

This has happened to me twice in the last two weeks. I assume it was the same owl. I'm certain it is a harbinger of death, because if it keeps doing it its going to get itself killed.

Wendy said...

Glad I am not alone, almost crashed when I saw those eyes look straight up at me...all I felt was panic. I feel better knowing others have seen an owl in the middle of the road...darn bird!

shelby said...

I have also come across an owl sitting right in the center of the road. Two times in the last two weeks. Has me a bit freaked out.

Unknown said...

This just happened to me driving home from work on a dark country road all of a sudden there it was out of nowhere right in the middle of the road staring at me did not move one bit I had to go around it. It immediately made me feel as though something bad is going to happen I hope this isn't the case!!!