The Rebirth of Life After Loss

To anyone seeing Annie this morning, today was an as mundane day as any other. Annie cinched up Scout, the newest addition to the barn, and her mind moseyed to a memory long forgotten. At the age of twelve, Annie and Sarah, her twin, roamed to the ranch's furthest reach. The day had just begun to dawn, and Sarah was feeling adventurous, as usual, and Annie was eager for the expedition. Riding for whole days was nothing new the Annie and Sarah, but today the time trickled, and by noon, they had made it to the creek on the border of their property.

Annie is snapped out of her thoughts when the barn hand strode down the stairs.

"Good morning, Ms." Annie nods to acknowledge the greeting but does not fathom a response. In her daydream of memories, she had finished tacking up and was ready to mount as she swung her leg over her long braid cascaded with it. Scout was sent to Annie because he had suffered a recent loss. His pasture mate had recently passed. The previous owner said that Scout was no longer useful to her and needed her gone. Now, usually, Annie would have passed up on a burden, but as she ran her hand down Scout's long back, she was consumed with sympathy.

Today's ride was simply for exercise so Annie could make it to town in time to pick up supplies. Later that day, her mother would be coming in for the upcoming occasion. Walking through the grocery store, she picks up candles and strawberry cake mix. The trip to town is a 40-minute trip from the ranch. On her way home, she goes back to the memory of her sister. As they dismounted, Sarah had been hiding something from Annie. This morning's quest had a purpose. Early that week, Sarah had found an owl's nest. "Annie, Annie," whispers Sarah, "Come quick." She wanders overfilled with interest. Sarah points up to the abandoned tree house that had been there since before they were born. "Sarah, we've seen that a million times?" Annie says, doubting there is any real reason for Sarah's excitement. "Look inside!" Sarah exclaims with continued excitement. Annie glances up, and there it is, "How did I miss them?" Inside is mother Barn Owl on her nest. "Happy Birthday," Sarah says to gloat her gift.

This memory was nine years ago tomorrow. Three years later, Sarah was dead.

Annie loaded her arms with grocery bags, trying to limit her trips to and from the truck. As she scans the kitchen, the stove clock catches her eye, 7:00 pm. Her mom would be here in 11 hours, and Annie's home was disastrous.

Laying her head down as her bedside clock reads 1:00 am. She falls asleep before she can tell herself she is falling asleep.

She wakes up to a taxicab pulling down the drive. Her mother is here! Annie springs out of bed and rushes to brush her teeth and hair. She had fallen asleep in her town clothes yesterday, so in 15 min she is at the door, opening it right as her mother had raised her fist to knock on the oak door. Before she could breathe out the words hello, she was enclosed in an embrace. Annie and her mother have always been close, but after the loss of Sarah, their mother had clung to Annie. Even with Annie now on her own, their mother always spent Sarah and Annie's birthday with Annie.

This birthday was consistent with every other year since Sarah has been gone. After they had made the cake and sang happy birthdays, Annie had recounted her memory of the barn owl nest to her mother as they headed to the barn to do the night check. As the barn door opened perching on Scout's stall was a phenomenal creature. A stupendous female barn owl. Scout's neck elongated with his muzzle up the owl's face. Annie and her mother stood in awe and watched the two creatures fraternize. This was the most exhilaration Annie had seen in Scout in his time here. The owl lowers his head and thrust it into Scout's muzzle in a comforting notion. Then the magnificent creature began aware of the figures standing in the barn's entrance. She studied them and then swiftly propelled off the stall through the barn and into the night. As the owl retreated from sight, Annie and her mom shared a glance, and they both knew that Sarah was responsible for the creature's preternatural performance. This event had changed the three souls in the barn that night.