Gifts of Love

Driving down long, windy roads canopied by green treetops, golden light glistening through the leaves, gives the illusion of being somewhere inherently magical. Radio off I allow the birds to occasionally sing to me with periods of complete silence in between, save the hum of my van's engine and the tires crackling on the paved ground. Once in a while a tiny chipmunk would scurry across my path, and I would admonish them for taking such risks.

Entering an open area with luscious green grass, polka-dotted with yellow and purple wild flowers, I felt like I was traveling through a canvas painted purely for my benefit. The screech of hawks drew my attention upward, and I slowed down to nearly a crawl so I could observe a flock of them circling around like a ballerina pirouetting amongst the clouds. I felt in awe of such beauty and a deep connection with the land below, the skies above, and all of its creatures.

I continued my journey with no real destination in mind, content to be in the moment. Deep in the forest once again, I was lost within myself when a giant image made its appearance from the side startling me. Its wings spread out before me, rising up parallel with my passenger side windshield from a ditch below. Even as I instinctively pressed down on my brakes, time appeared to slow and what happened in seconds seemed like minutes. Its wing was at least three or four feet in length, and I was mesmerized by its grandeur.

Being so close I could observe the separation of its dark brown feathers spread out like a paper fan. As it came more fully into my view and before flying above it, our eyes met momentarily. It couldn't have been more than a split second but time gave the impression it had stopped completely and all motion with it. There we were, myself and this majestic, golden eagle. Did it feel as much admiration for me as I did for it? I doubted it but right then nothing else mattered. Time resumed and this impressive being flew off. I could think of nothing else the rest of the day.

The blessings of these gifts make me grateful to be able to bear witness to such splendor and love. Only one question tumbles upon my mind, how can I return the love that has been so generously bestowed upon me?