Finding one's voice ~

The baby Owl sang his song this week

HURRAY!!!
And phew.

After a longish period of silence, that felt so much like a void of sound, the baby owl finally called out the first "hoo- hoo-ho-hoo' on the last day of September.

Understandably, the first 'Hoo hoo's" were an awkward melody. Not too confident, nor too loud. A simple staccato of hoo, hoo, hooh'. No, ad-libbing on this first call. No going off script ~ Simple, and successful. Oh, what joy to hear it, like a moment of coming of age. I smiled, for sure!

Oh, and by the way, I was Not the only one celebrating the teenager's successful initiation into the coming of age ~ Right after this quietish call, a loud immediate outburst of sound emerged from the woods, with all sortings of hoots and howls, all comings and goings from a conclave of owls right near the first single one.

Like a firework of sound, the tribe hawed and rolled through their vocabulary of music as only a convocation of owls can, generating a fabulous celebratory concert of joyous noise in honor and welcome of the new one's song. You could just feel the glee, and what felt like a joyful laughter and a clinking of glasses. I could picture it too; the owls a-dancing and a-swaying, a-shaking and a-wiggling of their tails, as they celebrated the emergence of their new tribe member's song. All were in welcome to the young one's voice.

(When owls get together, they add jazzy extra notes to the feast of sound. A Haaawwwhawwww, and scrreeee-ooohhhh... )

The next quiet sound from the woods, after the convocation, was considerably quieter and understandably a little more awkward, a short "hoo-hoo." A little gentle fumble in the steps of growing up.

I laughed when I heard how the adults proceeded in response to the growing song. It felt like a celebration of one's success, as well as the celebration of the fumbling and the awkwardness, that comes in learning to sing one's song.

And honestly, I admit, I was relieved. I had worried for the baby's transition, like a mama who is unable to make the growth happen, and hopes nature will soon bless with abundance, I had waited in the awkward silence of the previous two weeks, wondering, "what happened to the baby owl?" He had been making the "Shreeee" sounds of the young for days and days...... and days. Then I heard Nothing. I waited, in the void of this silence, between the old and the new, Waiting, hoping, not sure what would happen....

Hoping the silence only meant preparation for a new song, a new path, a new life.

And! Then, to sing one's song, surely, never an easy thing to do, and in front of a whole group of one's kinfolks no less!

Well, it was a nice night of celebration.
....Wish that all were celebrating these sort of initiations into adulthood, celebrating transitions of life with equal measure, and Lots of Noise.
Wish that everyone could be surrounded by kin-folk who support the singing of one's very own voice, as well as support the discovering of it, and then show this welcome by singing their own songs of life in contribution to the melodies present.

Wish that all felt the wonder of welcome, and the welcome of wonder in our days of transitions, And with that wonder, then feel bolstered in heart and spirit, ready to meet the challenges on the trail of life, knowing that we have that support when the storms of life batter and bewilder, or when the unexpected occurs. Ready, for this present moment, for we know we have a council of the kinfolk at hand, saying, "yes, yes, yes.... yes, yes, yes, you can, do it, ~ SING!!!!"

And how wonderful for all of us to know we are welcome in that very fire of the scary moment of unknown ~ to know by a smile, a sway, a laugh to keep trying, to wobble, to fall down, to hiccup in our song, to be uncertain, sad, and yes, sometimes, very very afraid.

The melody may not be what we expect, from ourselves or another, Still, let's try. I welcome your song. SING SING SING!!! Sing your voice however it sounds.

It seems to me we need it now.
Sing in welcome to the new, sing in welcome of the leaving of the old.
Welcome the changes and the 'sameses'. Welcome it all, knowing eventually, our song will fade, and another's will blossom. Rejoice in the beauty of that cycle.
Our own initiation to these songs, and another's may bring the key to the peace we seek

Let's sing our songs of love, life and death, as we know we can.

And, if you are interested in more musings and questions, see Venus Muse, and more photos here~ Seasonal photos

So much love to you all ☺️