Owls in the Night

Sitting at my desk in predawn darkness, I heard a Barred Owl call faintly in the distance. Unlike most years, we haven’t heard many owls this summer, so this call immediately caught my attention, diverting me from my journaling about some inner tensions to gratitude for the owl; then gratitude for coyotes I had heard earlier (I love hearing their incredible range of yips, howls, and squeals, and warbling wails in the night); gratitude for my sweet Lyska sleeping by my desk; and then gratitude for the subtle ways God touches my life even when I don’t sense his presence. I shifted my focus to journaling about longing to be closer to God, to be more aware of his presence.

Then two owls started calling back and forth, one quite close– what joy! I’ve missed their calls in the night, and to hear two was such a treat- I received it as God’s reminder that he does indeed draw close. As the owls called yet again, it occurred to me that, though it was too dark for me to see anything outside, the closer of the owls could surely see me. If fact, he was very likely watching me through my window even when he was silent. Another reminder, this time that God sees me, his eye always on me, even though I can’t see him.

I continued to write and suddenly, filled with wonder and delight, I heard the owls, both now near my window, having a loud, enthusiastic interchange of hoots, cackles, chips, and clickings. A lively chorus of shared life! Thank you, God, for these voices and eyes in the night!