Otis

OTIS

By Keala Asher

Early one morning Lyla, a teenage girl from the suburbs full of ancient trees, woke up from a deep slumber to the hooting of an owl outside her window. She smiled as she heard her feathered friend sing into the morning sun, greeting the new day as the deep blue colors of the sky turned into a swirly sherbert watercolor painting ever so changing as the seconds ticked by. This was her favorite way to wake up and her favorite part of the day when the town was silent and the orchestra of mother nature sang her wake up song.

Though this particular morning she was a little annoyed at her owl friend for waking her too soon, as she felt she was having a very important dream. A dream about something special, something her logical brain couldn’t quite grasp, something magical in the making, something magical inside of her? She could feel the dream still inside of her soul, her body tingling with delight and excitement almost as if she had just been re born, re awakened, re ignited. It was a weird feeling that felt unknown yet so familiar, so comforting. A dream that she felt she had dreamt before. A feeling that she was trying to make conscious sense of that was on the tip of her tongue, but just out of reach.

And just as quickly as she woke up did the dream get farther and farther away slipping back into her subconscious while her conscious mind awakened to the brand new day. No matter how hard she tried to resist awakening to the conscious world, the beauty of the dream disappeared into thin air to be hidden in her subconscious mind once again.

This happened from time to time as she awoke early in the morning to her owl friends greeting. Her dreams seemed to be speaking to her, yet she couldn’t quite get a grasp on what message they were trying to tell her. They always seemed to slip away faster than her conscious mind could travel leaving her with this feeling that she was meant to know something, that there was something trying to give her a message, a message about who she was, but something was missing. She never thought much about it after that as the feeling would evaporate back into the night while she greeted the brand new day.

She started her days all the same with some herbal tea from her local apothecary down the street, taking in the floral smells as the heat met the cool morning skies creating a smooth steam that danced from the cup and into the sky. The beauty of the natural world always amazed her. Letting herself absorb the morning sun into her body as if it were a friendly hug, being grateful for the new day and all the possibilities that it held. Little did she know what this day would bring her.

On this particular morning as she sat outside breathing in the fresh air something inside of her felt different. She could smell the the oak trees like they were being brewed under her nose in an outdoor caldron. The morning dew engulfed her body with the nutrients of its water hydrating her from the inside out. She could hear the ants crawling on the dirt as they marched to their food and the tussle of the leaves as a slight breeze gently kissed the air.

Then there was this feeling that someone, something was watching her. An energy very calming and peaceful yet it wanted her attention. As her heard turned to the left towards the watchful eyes, she was drawn to the tree where the owl sat, and locked eyes. She could sense a masculine grandfather energy emanating from his being. She didn’t know how she felt that or why she felt that, but she felt a comfort in him. A knowing of his soul.

Out of nowhere there was a noise inside her head, a voice? What was happening to her? While her logical mind tried to analyze these feelings she was having and the noises she was hearing, she couldn’t help but wonder if this was a part of her dream. Her brain felt like it was going to explode, trying to understand what her mind could not comprehend. She quickly closed her eyes and shook her head clearing her thoughts and bringing her back to the calming moment with her tea and the silent morning sun rising above the hills.

The owl outside her window had been there for as long as she could remember. Hooting in the early morning as the sun rose. Rarely missing a day to greet her. She grew fond of this creature and considered him her friend. She felt a connection with the wild bird, almost like he was watching over her and protecting her from the unknown world. She never really thought too much into until now, though she did always think it to be peculiar as no other animal that she knew of had ever stayed so consistent like this owl.

So when her eyes locked with her feathered friend it felt comfortable and loving, but that wasn’t everything. This time she felt that there was more to be said, more to be seen, more to be heard. But again the more she tried to think her way through it, the more it seemed to be a knotted ball of chaos that could not be untangled by the mind. So she sat back in her chair, taking in the day, letting her mind be at peace while nature all around her transitioned from dark to light filling her heart with the beauty that is.

And just as she relaxed into the tranquil morning calm, the owl swooped down from the tree and flew inches above her head so close that she could feel the air from its wings tap her head ever so gently. She turned quickly and watched him land on a tree trunk, her special tree trunk. Why was it special? She did not know. It was the stump of an ancient cut down oak tree and ever since she was a child she had been drawn to that stump like it was a friend, an extension of her. She was very fond of where this stump stood. It felt magical to her, peaceful, and full of life. The place she went to get comfort on her worst days and where she went to dance in celebration on her best days. It felt like an extension of soul. It was her spot, it felt like home.

As she was thinking of all the memories that her special stump had brought her, a vision flashed in her minds eye, a vision that was nothing she had ever seen before on this earth and yet she remembers this vision so vividly. A vision that seemed to be imprinted on her brain when she was a child. A vision that she was now realizing she had dreamt about last night. A vision once lost in her subconscious, now so clear there was no questioning.

The owl was staring at her with focus, not breaking contact, with a knowing in his eye like he could read her mind. It almost seemed as if he was smiling at her, laughing and saying “finally! You let go of your thoughts so you could let your heart finally see!”

Though he didn’t say that because he’s an own and owls don’t talk, nor do they talk to her in her mind. Or do they? She questioned.

She shook her head and again stared at the owl, but this time more intensely, almost daring him to speak, like she knew he could and has been hiding his abilities from humans this whole time.

“Good morning Lyla. My name is Otis. I’ve been waiting for this day for a very long time.”

Lyla jumped back in her seat. Although the owls beak did not move, she could have sworn on her life that she heard a mans voice speak inside her head. A voice that seemed to come from “Otis” though she did not know how. Her heart was racing, but in a calm way. A paradox she could not explain. One of many that would appear that day.

“Please don’t be alarmed. I don’t have much time left and there is a lot to get done.”

“Bbbaaahhhhh” she involuntarily blurted out as she stood up and quickly walked back into the house. Shaking her body as to get the weirdness of the morning off her and forget what had just happened. She had to be imagining this, it just didn’t seem logical.

Her mom was in the kitchen as she entered. “Good morning darling. Everything alright? Looks like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

Lyla did not answer as she was going over every second since the time she woke up to the time the owl “Otis” spoke to her. Was she crazy? Was she going insane? There was no logical explanation for what just happened and could not shake the feeling that she was living in her dream.

Grabbing an orange from the counter, she looked at her mom, smiled and went straight to her room and shut the door. She would just go back to sleep and wake up in a few hours like nothing had ever happened. This was all just a dream, she convinced herself, and when she awoke again it would be morning and nothing out of the ordinary would happen.

As she lay her head on her pillow a rush of calming loving energy filled her body and within seconds she was back asleep.

…

Lyla was sitting on her stump watching the vibrant sky swirl with all the colors of the rainbow while the stars twinkled in delight. It was not day nor was it night. It was the space in-between where both existed and neither existed at all. The trees were dancing in the wind to the song birds rendition of “Do you Believe in Magic” by The Loving Spoonfuls, one of her favorite songs since she was a child. As she sat there, she swayed with the clouds, the music and the colors of the sky, not a care in the world, letting each moment pass her by with beauty filling her heart.

Then she heard a voice to her left, “How are you feeling, Lyla?”

As Lyla slowly turned to look next to her to see who had spoken those words, she saw Otis sitting in the most magnificent garden. Then she realized that she was sitting on her stump surrounded by this mystical garden. It was a tropical paradise with every colorful plant you could imagine. Vibrant lavenders, fuchsias, opal blues, deep mustard yellows and sunset oranges. The flowers seemed to be alive with consciousness like they understand her soul and could feel her heart. Fireflies filled the air giving it a magical feel that anything is possible in this garden, anything you wanted was already yours when you were here. There were no worries to be had and all was right with the world when you were in this garden. But there was one thing that caught Lylas eye. Something that made her heart gasp with delight. Something that that made her feel like she had been to this garden before, that this garden was actually hers.

Next to Otis were three lines and in each line stood three feathers that bloomed out of the ground as if they had roots growing from the earth. These feathers seemed to shimmer in the twilight sky almost luminescent and sparkling blue, violet, and rose that mixed together and moved throughout the feathers almost like they were alive, that they were communicating.

Lyla could feel their energy in her body, she understood what they were saying, but could not put it to words. It was a knowing she could not describe, but felt deep within her soul. She understood why she was there and she knew she was finally ready.

“You seem much calmer this time, much peace in your mind. I can see you're listening to your heart. You have come so far and done great work to get here. Do you think you are ready? Do you think your conscious mind is ready to accept what your soul has always known?” Otis held out his large angelic wing while looking at Lyla with peaceful eyes and an energy of all the love wrapped up in one small feathered body.

Lyla slipped off the tree stump ever so gently and sat next to Otis, letting him wrap his angelic wing around her shoulder, embracing her as if she were his granddaughter. She could feel the softness of his feathers comforting her and the love from his heart emanating into hers. A tear slipped down her cheek as she looked Otis in the eyes because she knew what it meant when she accepted this gift, when she tells him she is ready.

She would no longer need Otis to protect her, to be there for her, every morning to greet her. His purpose on this earth would be fulfilled and his time here would be done.

As if reading her mind Otis spoke “Cry tears of grief, but do not for long for my body is only a vessel to this world, yet my soul belongs to the skies. I am neither here nor there and I am everywhere. When you are sad, close your eyes so you can see the me that you are looking for is within thee. I never left and will never leave. It’s just my time on this earth to no longer be seen.”

The tears were now streaming down her face like a waterfall of diamonds landing on the soil below where one of the blossoming feathers grew out of the ground.

“Let the tears of your heart water the future of your dreams,

no energy goes to waist, let your heart lead.

Each feather holds the knowledge that you are meant to gain,

to walk this earth in beauty and share the wisdom of your joy and pain.

The first feather you received when you were just a child so young,

but society lead you to believe it was wrong.

The time has come for the next feather to be unearthed,

for the mind has learned to quiet and the heart is now being seen for its worth.

With each feather that you pull comes great magic from your soul,

your conscious mind might not fully understand, but your heart will always know.

When life gets crazy, chaotic or too much for you to bear,

remember to feel into your heart so you can truly hear.

For the heart holds all your truths and is where your magic lies,

and it is in your heart where you find your strength to rise.

And when you rise you take your next step with ease,

knowing that you are connected to this earth, the roots, the trees.

For you do not have to be who everyone thinks you are,

you are meant to be fully you, authentic and true, you are meant to be your own unique star.

The more you listen to your heart and not your head,

the more your unique magic will easily be spread.

And with that you will be able to see,

all the unique beauty in all and everything including you and me.

So with this feather that you receive,

I give you one last hug and gift before I leave.”

Otis pulled the feather from the earth and hands it to her.

“This is a time for you to embrace your beauty, be,

take the feather in your heart and set your spirit free.”

And just as Lyla let the feather fall into her left hand, Otis turned into golden dust with opal sparkles that swirled around her, lifting her up to her feet, filling her heart with a feeling she could only describe as unconditional love and evaporating into thin air leaving an opal golden glow at her feet.

Then all went dark.

She awoke in her bed to her mom knocking at the door. She looked at her clock, only a minute had passed since her head hit the pillow, though it felt like hours.

Her moms face looked sad as she came in. “Honey, I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but your owl friend has passed on. I found him laying peacefully on your stump. But it looked like he went peacefully and he lived a long life for a barn own. Can I get you anything?” Her voice filled with compassion.

Lyla smiled at her mom with love in her heart, knowing that Otis wasn’t actually gone, we just couldn’t see him anymore. “I’m good, thank you mom.”

Just as her mom was about to closed the door, she popped back in “Oh I Forgot, one of his feathers had fallen off, I thought you might want to have it.” She handed the brown feather speckled with white to Lyla and she swore she could see it sparkle in the morning sun as if it were golden and not brown at all.

Lyla smiled and felt a tingle in her heart. “Thanks, mom. Maybe we could give him a proper burial next to my stump later today?”

“That’s a great idea.” Her mom smiled as she closed the door.

As she sat up in bed examining her body, she could not see anything physically different about her. And she questioned if her dream really happened. Though she knew the answer deep within and with that knowing Otis’ feather turned opal white dusted with rose gold and fell ever so gently onto her pillow. Lyla got out of bed and walked to the window as a trail of golden stardust floated off of her aura like a long silky robe trailing behind her, kissing all that surrounded her.

Starring at the oak tree outside, she thought she saw Otis, hooting towards the morning sun, greeting the day as he always did and she wondered if she would be able to hear him now that he’s gone or would his morning song start to fade? A rush of love flooded her heart and she knew she didn’t have to worry about that, because Otis was within. He would always be in her heart.

She was smiling from the inside out, feeling invigorated. Ready to go out into the world a new her. She felt herself but a little different, a good different, magical different. She had a knowing that in some weird way, her heart was going to make the world a better place. With that she entered the day just as she was, emanating her magic and spreading her beauty where ever she went with no effort, and a heart full of magic that only she knows.