Random Act of Metaphor: The Owl Tree

The Owl Tree

Hmmm, do you see what I see or is there always more than what meets the eye?

I happened up this tree last summer at a conservation area I frequent in my summer rambles in search of winged wonders. I named it The Owl Tree because my fertile imagination conjured the image of an owl from the knot holes and texture of its bark.

I am curious. Would you have seen the face of an owl if I had not planted the image in your mind? Would you have seen simply an ordinary tree indistinguishable from all the others?  Perhaps something entirely different would have crystallized in your imagination.

A factor in my conjuring was the fact that I am a nature geek. I derive great pleasure from being able to distinguish between the subtle features of lookalike birds, butterflies and dragonflies. My brain is programmed to see reflections of these creatures wherever I cast my eyes.

What is the point of this philosophical ramble beyond confirming that I am a bit of a left-handed monkey wrench? Simply that the gray matter in that orb that sits on each of our shoulders is more than just neurons firing in predictable sequences. There is no blueprint for it. It is, for each of us, unique, one-of-a-kind and impossible to replicate.

The Owl tree – a random act of metaphor for the undefinable and irreplaceable oneness of each of us that should be celebrated and held sacred.

~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of “Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel” – double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog .

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