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Reflections September 2014

Life Now

Flying with the Eagle

By Dusty Reed

The eagle is a symbol of power, being one of the largest and most powerful birds on earth. Yet, it also represents many other aspects of our lives.

We have seen the eagle symbolized in many measures over the last several years, more so, it seems, than previously. It flies with email messages and onto internet sites, often as an overlay with the Statue of Liberty, the twin towers, the American flag, and sometimes with a religious setting. It shows up on postage stamps. Paintings of eagles are plentiful.

The eagle is a symbol of power, being one of the largest and most powerful birds on earth. Yet, it also represents many other aspects of our lives.

 

• Playful!

Living near a lake, I have many opportunities to watch a bald eagle soaring overhead, delighting itself as it floats with the air currents. It is in no hurry and appears to be enjoying the activity of letting the wind carry it to and fro. It dips and turns, much as a paper airplane a child sends into the sky.

To help them soar, eagles use thermals, which are rising currents of warm air, and updrafts generated by terrain, such as valley edges or mountain slopes. Soaring is accomplished with very little wing‑flapping, enabling them to conserve energy. Long‑distance migration flights are accomplished by climbing high in a thermal, then gliding downward to catch the next thermal, where the process is repeated.

There are two kinds of bald eagles in the United States, referred to as "southern" and "northern. They have technical names in Latin but who can pronounce them? During migration, the "southern" bald eagles of United States fly north to Canada. The "northern" bald eagles fly south to Mexico! Looking for greener pastures?

 

• Family!

As I watch, the eagle eventually lands on a bare branch, about a quarter of a mile away. It is sometimes joined by an eaglet and another mature eagle. Family? Most likely. Once an eagle chooses a mate, their bond is for life. Occasionally, we have the privilege of watching the three of them flying and circling over the lake. Sometimes the eaglet makes a short solo. Occasionally, one of the older makes a dip toward the lake to grasp some lunch. The bald eagle can fly 20 to 40 miles per hour in normal flight and, when necessary, can dive at speeds over 100 miles per hour. Eaglets are not going to be able to stray too far from their parents without permission.

Not necessarily for recreation but bald eagles can actually swim! They use an overhand movement of the wings that is very much like the butterfly stroke.

The bald eagle has no known natural enemy except man. Toxins from chemicals put them on the endangered list for many years. In 1994 they were downgraded from endangered status to the less urgent status of threatened.

 

• Patriot!

The eagle, chosen as our national emblem, has an interesting history. How did the eagle, rather than the turkey, come to be the symbol that stirs our patriotism?

The eagle was first chosen as our national bird in 1782, although it was not officially adopted by Continental Congress as the emblem of the United States until 1787.

It is said the bald eagle was initially chosen to represent our national emblem from a battle during the American Revolution. The noise of the battle stirred the eagles to begin flying high overhead, screeching and crying out. The patriots exclaimed, "They are shrieking for freedom!"

The bald eagle began showing up on military insignias and eventually, after being adopted as the official seal, it was imprinted on coins.

 

• Strength and power!

The wing span of a bald eagle extends to as much as seven feet. One can weigh as much as 13 pounds. Their body alone can be as long as 35 inches. A female is a bit larger than a male. In the wild, they may live 30 years.

As most are aware, the bald eagle is not really bald; it actually has white feathers on its head, neck, and tail. Bald is a derivation of balde, an Old English word meaning white. The eagle was named for its white feathers instead of its majority of black feathers.

There are many myths, carried through the ages, describing the power, bravery and eternalization of the eagle.

The cremation of Augustus in Rome in A.D. 14 was accented with an eagle being released, symbolizing the ascent of the deceased's soul. Aristotle wrote of the eagle being the only animal who could look directly into the sun. Some Indian legends tell of the eagle flying into the sun and then it plunges into the stream to wash away the singed overlay to its eyes. Following that, the symbol of an eagle may be seen on baptismal founts representing Christ looking "into the sun" to His Father and the renewal of the plunge into the fountain as the renewal of the spirit through baptism.

A continuation of the Indian legend compares the bird to the sun, with the eagle rising in the morning to dance with the wind. It swoops out of sight as the sun sets, in pursuit of its prey.

Can we compare any of these descriptions to human life? Do we soar with the wind with life as a playful communion with the wind? Are we willing to be bold and use our power? Do we look to the "sun" for reasons of our own? Do we accept the responsibilities of maintaining a family and taking care of ourselves? Do we express our patriotism and gratitude for our freedom? Do we simply gaze upon Nature with gratitude? Yes, we can do all this and more!

We can gain wisdom by flying with the eagle.

 

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