I don’t remember when my fascination for the Bald Eagle began. Over the years when I have felt frustrated or stressed, I have often thought of an eagle in flight. Their massive wingspan, and floating from one air current to the next, seemingly carefree. The Bald Eagle mates for life, and often return to the same nest. Even now, as I write these words, just thinking about an Eagle effortlessly drifting from one air current to the next, calms me.
I’m trying to imagine myself, as that Eagle. When I hear the news about all that is going on around me, or I receive an email or text message from someone who has just heard a new and startling statistic, I close my eyes and just imagine what the wind against my face would feel like. I’m spreading my wings (arms) and just floating. Not processing the words that are ever present. Remaining calm in this new storm that has become our daily life.
I often ask people “where is your happy place?” I ask them to hold that image in their mind. My happy place is usually an adirondack chair, with a beach umbrella, sand to stick my toes in, and the waves of the ocean slapping against the shore. Today for a moment, I am thinking about that Bald Eagle. And when I think of that Bald Eagle, I also immediately think of my all time favorite Bible verse.
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:31, KJV).
My prayer is that we will come together as a nation, we’ll listen to the directives set down by the CDC (centers for disease control), practice social distancing, wash your hands often, and if you're sick stay home. And if you’re feeling weak, or lonely, or tired, remember the verse I just shared with you. Right now, that is exactly what I’m doing, waiting on the Lord...
A very nice, calming message. Your mentioning of the Bald Eagle brings back many memories. I remember the spraying of DDT in my childhood… The smell, that almost eradicated the Bald Eagle from the landscape. But then, I remember seeing many in the Boundary Waters wilderness in 1959. The lone eagle that I saw from my front window of my A-frame in January in Northwestern Wisconsin feeding upon a dead calf thrown out by a farmer. When I called the DNR, I was told they were rare but still flew up and down the Chippewa River tributaries. With the rivers frozen, carrion in the country was most needed in below zero weather.
In my senior year in college, 1965, I took expository writing as an elective. My elderly spinster professor was fond of birds and bird stories, especially eagles. She related the story of Old Abe, the Bald Eagle captured on the Chippewa River and used by a Wisconsin Regiment as a mascot during the Civil War. When he died after the war, was stuffed and placed in the state capital. To get a good grade, everyone wrote about birds and eagles. I didn't, and got the best grades of the entire class.
There were always eagles in the air when I visited my parents' cottage on flowage in northern Wisconsin. Wonderful birds to watch soaring in the blue sky while relaxing on a lounge. My father even built a platform on a pole on an island in the lake, to encourage nest making.
Reflections and Nature Watercolors is a collection of Margaret's spontaneous positive thoughts in celebrating and reflecting on life and her nature watercolors.
I don’t remember when my fascination for the Bald Eagle began. Over the years when I have felt frustrated or stressed, I have often thought of an eagle in flight. Their massive wingspan, and floating from one air current to the next, seemingly carefree. The Bald Eagle mates for life, and often return to the same nest. Even now, as I write these words, just thinking about an Eagle effortlessly drifting from one air current to the next, calms me.
