Silent Wings: Between Fear and Joy

In northern Iran, owls exist in the space between reverence and fear, wisdom and superstition. Once symbols of intellect in ancient Persian culture, they are now seen by many as omens of misfortune and death. The call of an owl is believed to foretell tragedy, leading to their persecution, trapping, and killing. Yet, these nocturnal hunters play an irreplaceable role in maintaining ecological balance by controlling rodent populations.
Against this backdrop of fear and misunderstanding, a quiet revolution is taking place—one driven by an unexpected force: joy. A group of women, defying deeply ingrained beliefs, have dedicated themselves to rescuing, rehabilitating, and protecting owls—creatures their own communities often shun. With limited resources but boundless determination, they offer medical care to injured birds, giving them a second chance at life. Some are released back into the wild, while others, too damaged to survive on their own, find permanent sanctuary in these women’s homes—spaces that have transformed into makeshift rehabilitation centers.
But beyond the physical act of rescue, their work embodies something more profound: the pursuit of happiness in its most unexpected form. The act of saving these birds brings them a quiet yet enduring joy—one that is not fleeting like material possessions or momentary pleasures but deeply rooted in purpose and compassion. In the same villages where owls are feared as messengers of doom, these women cradle them in their hands, nurse them back to health, and find fulfillment in their survival.
This is a story about transformation—not just of the owls, but of the women themselves. Across cultures, owls have long been associated with mystery, death, and darkness. Yet through this project, I seek to capture the tension between these enduring myths and the quiet, determined joy of grassroots conservation. Happiness, in this context, is not loud or performative; it is the warmth of a healed wing, the first flight of a recovered bird, the defiance of fear through knowledge and care.
In a world where happiness is often packaged and sold as something to be consumed, these women remind us that true joy is not found in possessions, but in the connections we forge—with nature, with each other, and with the lives we choose to protect. Perhaps happiness is not about being free from darkness, but about finding the courage to bring light into it.