Driving out of the neighborhood around noon, I saw a large owl flew across the street, right in front of me. I never see owls so it was kind of neat, and a surprise to see one at high noon! It felt like a scene from Harry Potter. As he flew by, I realized the owl was not alone, but being chased by a blue jay; followed by another blue jay. The chase was on! The owl must have been where blue jays didn’t want him, but I was blessed by seeing something I wouldn’t normally expect to see. It certainly changed my focus!
How is one to know when such a moment is just a random, chance encounter, or if there is some sort of sign one is supposed to take in or understand? I wonder at times like this about Old Testament prophets who got their marching orders from God. What did they see that changed their daily routine? How did God get their attention when they were simply normal people with all sorts of responsibilities and distractions? How did he shake them out of their sleepy walk-through life to realize they were in the presence of the holy one? I am not suggesting an owl was a sign from God, but it did wake me up from whatever I was preoccupied with before that surprise.
There are so many things going on around us that we miss when we aren’t paying attention, and so much that we are surprised by when we open our eyes and get away from what normally distracts or occupies our time. Like owls and bluejays, we are also creatures of habit. When we are in the midst of familiar and comfy routines we are oblivious to what we might be missing. Even my prayer time can get like that as I tend to say the same prayers at mealtime and when I go to sleep. I always take certain times to talk with God and it has become a helpful habit. For instance, I pray every night for children, grandchildren, siblings, cousins, and friends, but realize I often spend more time trying not to forget anyone rather than thinking about what I am saying. And when I am in the routine of such a moment, sometimes I forget to take time to listen, as I am so busy trying to remember whose name to lift up to God next.
Make sense? I am sure owls don’t all sleep during the day, but this is the first time I have been at the right time and place and been paying attention that I saw something that maybe has been missed more often than I am aware. The same thing happens when I am editing a photo and realize I captured more in that image than what I saw when I took the picture. It was there all along (as the photograph proved) but I missed some details at the time as I was so focused on something else. Sometimes we think we are paying attention but aren’t. Sometimes we aren’t paying attention until something new flies into our awareness and we have a chance to see what maybe has been there all along. This flyby awakened something for me, and I thought about how I need to spend more time listening in prayer rather than reciting what God already knows. I need such moments to change my focus, realize there might be things I am missing, and remember to listen for what God all along has been whispering in my ear.