Chapter 20

“To dream of the Eagle is to be spiritually validated as a person of great wisdom and insight concerning both this world and the spiritual realities beyond.”

What if you see one, by chance [and you’re wide-awake]?

This morning, I was driving down the road, a four-lane highway divided by a grass median. At one particular stretch, the houses disappear, the turnpike is a faint faraway growl, and the restaurants with their bright colored signs and lights have disappeared. At this particular stretch of the road, there are trees on either side of the road – a four lane-highway, one road going one way, the other road going the other way.

On the other side of the road, I saw, high in the trees, a large shape. It was a huge bird, perched in the uppermost branches. It was so big, that I immediately thought it must be a Vulture, because Vultures are that big, and there are many, many Vultures in this geographical area. However, as I approached that spot in the road, as I was on the opposite side of this tall tree, and huge bird, I looked at it, hard.

I caught my breath. The feathers on his back were brown, not black, like a Vulture. His head and neck wasn’t red, like a Vulture.

His head and neck were covered with white feathers.

I knew it was a Bald Eagle. That startled me. It is unusual to see one, here.

My first reaction was to wonder/think about what it means – was this symbol, hope?

They are supposed to be symbols of power. Makes sense that the USA would choose the Bald Eagle as its national bird and symbol.

That’s what I thought was “weird”. Here I was going to teach a class, where I was going to talk about the Star Spangled Banner, which is the national anthem of the USA, and I see the National Bird on my drive there [to the college].

About a year or so ago, on another road, I thought I saw an Eagle, as well – but this bird was all brown feathers - I just read that the young Bald Eagles are completely enveloped by brown feathers (their white headdress develops as they mature)… The reason why I thought that bird was an Eagle was that he just didn’t “look” or “feel” like a Hawk. I don’t know.

I have no doubt that the bird I saw this morning was an Eagle.

That’s rare, I think. They like to be away from humans, and they like to be near large bodies of water, and streams. Where I saw this bird, was an old woods/tangled up tall thicket. The water nearby is more of a marsh, at least near the road! Still, where I live is an important rest stop, for migratory birds! This little old state is a tropical oasis for birds!

Bald Eagles are birds of prey – their diet consists mainly of fish. I read online that the Bald Eagle builds the largest nest of any North American bird, up to 13 ft deep, 8 ft. wide, and 1.1 tons in weight (!#$%*%$$!!!!!, in regards to how much this nest weighs!)

I also read that the Bald Eagle soars [flies] on “thermal convection currents”, heat, baby, heat! It reaches a speed of 35-44 miles per hour, while gliding, and flapping and 30 miles per hour while carrying fish.

This symbol of power, the national bird of the USA [you’ll find his portrait on many American coins] squeaks. He has a shrill cry, punctuated by grunts.

Its symbolism goes back further than the beginning of the USA. The Eagle is a symbol of great wisdom and vision for the Native Americans, specifically Navajo and Crow Native American legend. The Eagle also graces the pages of ancient Greek and Hebrew literature.

In Native American lore, if someone dreams of an Eagle, he or she walks outside of society – touched by the hand of the Great Spirit.

What does it mean when you see one?

I felt like I had glimpsed something, private, special. I felt – honored.

It was queer feeling. Not bad, just … odd.