Let me tell you about an Owl

This year I’m buying experiences as gifts for my friends. Karina has wanted to visit Drusilla’s Park for years, so that’s where we headed for her birthday. The park is home to a wide variety of exotic animals, which it likes to educate people about. They were freshly open after lockdown relaxed and not too busy. We were just two excited 50 somethings amidst a smattering of parents with strollers and the park wardens.

I’d brought a birthday tiara and made a picnic. There are lovely picnic area’s inside the park and a stunning vintage carousel. Karina rode a tiger next to my parrot, we were two of about eight people on the carousel and we laughed all the way round, until it stopped and my parrot was now much higher than when we’d got on, with a little help from my friend I managed to de-saddle though. Enjoying the first rays of summer sun on our shoulders, we had a good girls catch up over some homemade quiche and mini bottles of prosecco. Karina blew out the candle on her birthday cupcake and we packed up and headed for the zoo trail.

It was delightful watching the little monkey’s playing together, there’s a huge array of different monkeys from South and Central America and some tiny sloths. The bats were all just hanging about and the otters were having a sunshine nap. When we got to the flamingo pond, we were surprised to see most of them on one leg with their heads tucked under a wing. Some were kneeling with their feet bent the other way to how we’d kneel. We’d seen flamingos before but never asleep. Fascinating and so beautiful.

Walking on towards an indoor enclosure, atop the rafters was a sign saying, “Indoor beaver viewing area”. That photo has got a lot of giggles on social media since. Inside there were a family of three beavers asleep, just to confirm. Moving outside we both involuntary squealed with delight at the sight of a capybara bathing in his pond like you and I sit back in a hot-tub. He then got out and wondered closer to us. What is it about these giants of the rat family that is just so damn adorable.

We then entered the aviary walk. I moved on to an aviary containing a majestic great grey owl while Karina was still admiring a parliament of white owls entertaining her with almost 360 head spins. We locked eyes, me and her majesty and my heart and breathing calmed to a meditative state. Soon Karina joined me and silently the same magic overcame her. We stood there, motionless and quiet, receiving the incredible healing energy this beautiful owl was gifting to us. We turned to each other and there were tears in our eyes and we both put our hands to our hearts. That’s where we were both feeling this beautiful energy, she was aiming it at our chests. We thanked her and when we moved away, we spoke to each other in amazement of what had just happened. It was a completely new experience for both of us and we felt so humbled in complete gratitude. To render us, especially me, speechless when we’re already excited is a gigantic feat just in itself!

I can’t tell you anymore than what I experienced about the owl healing. It’s not something I know about; I’ve just been incredibly blessed to have experienced it.

People everywhere seem to be coming closer to nature and animals, this warms my heart and I pray we get to a place soon where we all live in harmony and everyone, everywhere respects animals as the sentient beautiful beings that they are.