In 2012, I left my homeland carrying only one handbag.
In 2012, I left my homeland carrying only one handbag. Among the few things I brought with me to London was a porcelain owl lamp — a small object meant to keep me connected to wisdom, memory, and direction.
The owl originally came from Berlin. My grandparents bought it there in the 1970s and brought it back to Poland. It stood in their home as both a lamp and a decorative object. Light shone through its eyes, and inside it one could place a few drops of perfume, allowing warmth and fragrance to slowly fill the room.
After my grandmother’s death, the owl was moved to our summer house. During a burglary, its electric cables and glass eyes were stolen. It stopped being a lamp. Blind and damaged, it transformed into something else — a silent, wise prophet.
When I emigrated to London, I took the owl with me. It became a guardian of my new life and a reminder of the one I had left behind. Today, it stands on my desk in the office, watching over my work and quietly helping me find the right direction.
