The Angel scanned the darkening sky above the garden as night drew her velvet canopy over to bring
the soothing darkness. "Ah," she thought, "there she is." Her eyes watched in admiration as the owl
glided above the garden, a quiet sentinel. Yes she thought - the gardener had been right - the path had
shaped Owl into a guadian of the garden. Had he made her path easier she perhaps would have
lingered a bit - but she would not have become what she was now.
The Angel fought the desire to run to the small wounded owl who found her way to the garden.
The owl had been forced onto a tiny torturous path too narrow to turn around on forcing her to
proceed into an ever tightening and painful journey. She had flown to the garden too upset to see
where she was, but as the garden folded around her she found something else. Here were others
who cared as much as she did, who loved as deeply as she did and they reached out to her. And
she realized here also were others as wounded as she was, some more gravely - for they had
already traveled the path she was on. And as a new dawn rose she realized this garden was a place
of healing - for those wounded, or on the journey, for those who were lost. The Angel had looked to
the Gardener. "You can ease her journey," she had pleaded. The Gardener had looked at her and
smiled sadly. "No, it is necessary," he had replied. The Angel could only look at the Gardener in disbelief.
So the owl had to fly the gauntlet, but even as she struggled to fly the path before her, without the winds
forcing her onto the walls that hemmed in her path, she found strength to help others traveling the path,
swooping down to lift them and carry them part of their journey. She arrived in the garden tattered and
battered but with great love in her heart. And as she had healed, others began to realize they could
turn to her for wisdom and to see into the heart of things.
Now the tiny Owl slept high in the canopy , she was more than some a creature of the night - seeing more
in the darkness than most in broad daylight. Because she could see so clearly and paid attention to all
she saw she was very wise. Gliding through the night sky the Snowy Owl looked like a night spirit - visiting
and watching over the twilight hours. Her wisdom and kindness made her seem a source of endless
strength and stability. As night pulled the dark velvet canopy across the sky she stretched and spread
her wings.
As Owl drifted , gliding in slow circles to visit Plant, the Halfling watched. She found Owl to be a true
friend - one filled with compassion, quiet wisdom, and fiery passion. Owl visited most every night,
she called the Halfling Sister and she called the Plant Brother, and her visits were a source of joy to
the Halfling and the Plant. And when troubled Owl also turned to the Plant seeking help and wisdom
as she sheltered in steady branches that embraced her knowing the Plant drew wisdom from the very
soul of the garden, from the ground that held his roots firmly where he grew. The Halfling had heard
Owl's story - how she came to the garden through the hard path, and she had been there when Owl
had felt the sharp cut of the end of that path, but watching her magnificent friend she was awed and
amazed. The path would have crushed many - and many had been lifted from the path into the garden
by gentle winds that seemed to know that the one they lifted would perish without help. But Owl had
traveled the entire path, and, far from broken, was stronger. Now she traveled with the gentle winds
lifting up those who stumbled. Now she was one who others could look to for strength, and wisdom
and to listen
© Candace
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