Owl Muse

It seems perfectly natural that my chosen muse (the esteemed owl) should represent misfortune on one side of the world and wisdom/prosperity on the other. While visiting Greece (home of the “wise” Athenian owl), I was told that I was very fortunate to be able to see and hear owls in my backyard here in Michigan. Apparently, most of the owls in Greece are gone; and, to see one means luck is sure to follow. Well, I’m still waiting for that luck to kick in, but I can share my opposite adventure while I wait.



I have a very good Vietnamese friend here in my hometown who is fully aware of my many idiosyncrasies. The day I showed up in his shop wearing my brand new silver owl pendant, he looked as if I had personally bit the heads off of several rodents and regurgitated the pellets on his floor. Most people thought my owl necklace was pretty (or at least unique, I get that comment a lot), but my buddy looked horrified. Seriously, I’m not out to offend people with my accessories (most of the time) so I had to know why he vehemently opposed my feathered décor. Simply put, he informed me that owls/birds of prey are considered unlucky and denote death in his culture. Removing the aberrant creature from around my neck, I told him about my Grecian experience and that the opposite holds true there. Interestingly, he did not seem impressed with this information, and after much cajoling; he accepted my fascination with these strange birds.



Recently, I heard the familiar hoots outside my window in that weird hour between late night and pre- dawn. Lying in bed, in a semi-dream state, it occurred to me that their calls were sending the small hairs on my arms to stand up straight, while at the same time I smiled knowing that I was one auspicious woman to hear these sounds in first place.