"The clamorous owl, that nightly hoots and wonders at our quaint spirits.” -William Shakespeare

 Just over a year ago, I discovered that I had a connection with owls.  These nocturnal creatures, endangered in my neck of the woods, hoot at me on a nearly daily basis, both in daylight and at night.  They follow me around and sing their little greetings as I wander to my car after a long commute on the train, and call to me from my backyard at night.  I found myself strangely comforted by this sound. The calls became such a welcome part of my days, and often brushed away frustrations I'd carried all the way back to suburbia. Owls embraced me, and I, them.  These mysterious creatures became part of my dreams, and dug their talons into my heart.

So, being the researcher I am, I did what came naturally to me.  I started trying to figure out what it meant.  A few items of note:

One of the earliest human drawings dating back to the early Paleolithic period was of a family of Snowy Owls painted on a cave wall in France.

From ancient Athens, the silver four-drachma coin bore the image of the owl on the obverse side as a symbol of the city's patron, Athene Pronoia, the Greek goddess of wisdom who, in an earlier incarnation, was goddess of darkness. The owl -- whose modern scientific name Athene carries this heritage -- came to represent wisdom from its association with the dark. The owl was also the guardian of the Acropolis.

The people of Afghanistan have long believed the Owl gave Man flint and iron to make fire, and in exchange, Man gave the Owl his feathers. In Babylon, Owl amulets protected women during childbirth. In Celtic lore, the Owl was a sign of the underworld. Greenland folktales explain that the Inuit see the Owl as a source of guidance and help.  There are a number of Native American stories about owls, most of which related to their association with prophecy and divination.  Even today in India, the Barn owl is the "vahana" (transport/vehicle/mount) of the Hindu goddess of wisdom, Lakshmi. As such, the owl is held as a symbol of wisdom and learning.

A snippet I found particularly comforting -  If owls begin to follow you everywhere it could be that it has come into your life as a protective totem animal. In such a case it is there to guide you either for a while or for the rest of this life time.

The sum of all of this for me? A couple of things - 

1) Owls are mysterious creatures with ways which aren't always understood, and thus regularly mistaken for bad or evil.

2) Owls often represent wisdom and protection.  

3) Even children's novels (read: "Owl" in Winnie the Pooh), owls are associated with knowing the things which can't be known - an instinct for seeing things often unseen.

It may just be a decision on my part, but I've adopted the owl as my "pet" animal.  I'm drawn to them, and feel connected to them.  I learned a few years ago to trust my instincts.  I am not always right, but my gut has led me astray VERY few times.  People in my life often seek me out in times of need, to be the voice of reason, and to protect them in stormy weather.  I crave knowledge, and thrive on learning. And, those who don't understand the choices I make, or the affects I have (and lack there of), often snap to judgement about me, condemning me.

I've been toying with the idea of an owl tattoo for over a year.  Today I'm leaning toward it, but that could easily change tomorrow.  Until I'm firmly committed to it, my design sits tacked up on my wall above my desk, reminding me of who I am.