Why Owl Watches: A Symbol of Wisdom in My Story

I’ve added “Owl” to some of my scenes; sometimes she’s quietly in the background; other times, she’s flying or hovering. In Fox and Butterfly, Owl’s presence is intentional—gentle, guiding, and always observing.

I’ve always been drawn to the way many Native American cultures see owls. Regarded as keepers of deep knowledge—beings who understand more than they reveal. In some traditions, owls symbolize ancient wisdom, intuition, and spiritual insight. They’re seen as messengers who move between realms, able to perceive what others cannot.

In my story, Owl isn’t loud or commanding. She doesn’t swoop in dramatically or deliver lessons outright. She watches Fox from a distance, offering quiet nudges of guidance—sometimes through presence alone. She’s the reminder that we’re never entirely walking through the forest alone, even on days that feel uncertain or overwhelming.

There’s something comforting about that.

This sense that wisdom doesn’t always arrive with answers.

Sometimes it arrives with awareness, with noticing, with pausing long enough to feel what’s true.

As I’ve illustrated Owl—perched on a branch, half-hidden in the twilight—I’ve thought about what she represents for me personally. Creativity, intuition, and a kind of quiet courage. The ability to sit with mystery rather than rush to resolve it. And the understanding that guidance often comes softly.

That is why Owl watches Fox.

Not to judge. Not to intervene.

But to keep a lantern lit in the dark places of the story, and in our hearts too.

I hope that when readers—children and grown-ups alike—notice Owl tucked into these pages, they feel that presence: steady, thoughtful, and wise in the gentlest possible way.