The eagle has landed

"Honey, I'm home," my husband called out before heading to the kitchen for a snack. Without looking up from the computer, I hollered a short welcome, but under my breath I was grumbling. Don't get me wrong; I love my spouse. But while I was happy that Frank was home, I'd soon be expected to wrap-up my work, even though I was in the middle of something.

Okay ... I'm always in the middle of something. Always busy with one project or another. But Frank's patience has been wearing thin. He's putting in long days at work and at school and tired of waiting until eight or later for supper. I figured I had a good half hour before impatience would set in, so I stepped up the pace of my efforts ... only to stop dead in my tracks as I heard my husband screech just moments later.

I was out of my chair before I could make out what Frank was saying, "An eagle has landed in the cottonwood!"

"These moments are life. Everything else is just maintenance."

In the cottonwood out back? I struggled to make sense of this. Often eagles have floated on thermals above the nearby river bridge. From time-to-time, they have even flown over our house. But never have they settled into the trees!

Quickly I stepped back into my office to grab a camera, then ran into the dining room. Sure enough, the majestic bird had perched on a large tree branch just beyond our deck. I zoomed in with the camera and clicked off several shots before pausing to really absorb the situation. While I understood that eagles were quite large, I'd never seen one so close before. From 25-30 feet away, I now could comprehend how eagles could easily capture a rabbit and transport it in the air.

Gazing at his bearing -- strong, erect -- I sensed that there was nothing timid about this bird. He showed no hesitation as his head turned to survey the ground below him and I wondered if he would bother to flee if he detected us behind the sliding door. I don't think the eagle ever spotted us, but after several minutes, he stirred, then flew toward the river.

There are some moments that are lost if one hesitates. This was one of them. I'd much rather leave my desk to view an eagle than start supper. Because, for me, these moments are life, not an interruption. These moments are what I live for. Everything else is just maintenance.

Comments

[Brenda Friedrich]

Thanks for your comments, Sandy! The concept of life "maintenance" (ie., doing what's necessary so that you have time/money/health for play) runs counter to the idea of living life in the moment. Ideally we wouldn't categorize work and play as opposites. But, at least in the western world, this is exactly what we tend to do.

[Sandy Renshaw]

Brenda,

That's an incredible photo. What an unexpected life experience you had. I'm pondering the idea of "maintenance"

Sandy