BROKEN EAGLE
I was recently at a Raptor Rescue Center. They had a number of birds. A Screech Owl was part of one demonstration. I had heard a lot of Screech Owls but I had never seen one to know what I was seeing. Amazing, the sounds that can come from such a small body. Interesting bird. It seemed as if it could turn its head all the way around on its body. The lecturer told us about its life in the wild. The stealthy way it flies, it’s night vision – remarkable!
There was also a Bald Eagle. It was a large beautiful bird. Magnificent. Awe inspiring. Something I often see soaring high in the sky or hurling down on unsuspecting prey near our home.
Neither of these birds could fly! They had been brought to the center because of injuries that permanently took away their ability to fly.
The Eagle was enclosed in a pen. He walked around the pen pecking at the ground much as a chicken would. It was sad. An animal created to soar, pecking on the ground. Of course, he was alive. Saved by the workers. But it was not the life he was created to live. At times he would flutter and struggle up to a perch they had for him. He looked much more regal there than on the ground but he still could not soar.
I wondered what happened to him. Something he did to himself? Something someone did to him intentionally? Just an accident? Whatever the reason he was stuck on the ground. A far different life than he had been created to live. I think the lecturer said something about pulling him out of a truck grill.
He reminds me of a lot of us. Created by God to live life in His image. Created to reflect Him to His creation. But we are crippled by our own bad choices. Our mistakes. By the way we have been treated by others. By life itself. By sin in us and others. By trucks we didn’t see coming.
Occasionally a shadow passes over us and we look up and see someone else soaring in the sky, while we continue pecking in the dust wondering if that is what we were created for while longing for the sky. Regretting what could have been.
But as I reflected on the Soaring Eagle and the Broken Eagle, which one should be admired? The Soaring Eagle does what he was created to do. He does what Eagles do. Soar. He catches our eye. Effortlessly claims our attention.
The Broken Eagle is a different thing altogether. He catches our eye because of what he cannot do. Even in captivity life is a struggle. Climbing up to the perch where he could rest and survey his limited “world” was a struggle. Skills that did not come naturally, but that he had to learn came into play. There was nothing about his life that came easy. Life was a struggle! Life was hard! Life was difficult! But in some way, you feel the Broken Eagle had conquered or at least came peace with his world.
As you go through life you will meet people who immediately attract your attention. They seem to soar. They seem to have life under control.
There are others who are broken. They struggle to do the mundane things in life. Often, they fail or do them differently. They are overlooked. Take another look. They often have much to admire.
If they are sitting on a limb looking regal, they may have had a tremendous struggle just getting there.
Which one should be admired?
BOTH. Each is living in the environment they have been “given”. Each is living at the upper borders of their abilities. Soar if you can soar. But live life as fully as you can in your circumstances.
Which are you?
I can identify much more with the Broken Eagle than the Soaring Eagle