One of the great joys of living in the Columbia Gorge is regularly seeing bald eagles. Each siting is a moving experience. Glorious!!!
When I lived on Whidbey Island, there was an aerie near one of the buildings I visited and they could often be heard chattering away. Never got old.
So many people have their eyes glued to their smartphones. They are missing connections with people, and seeing the beauty and wonder of the great outdoors.
Last Spring walking along the riverfront trail in Wenatchee, WA, I felt thrilled when a bald eagle with a six-foot wingspan flew right overhead, swooping down toward the Columbia River beside the trail. I could feel the whoosh of air from its wings. Splash!
Without pausing, the eagle snatched a fish from the river and soared upward, holding the fish in its talons.
"Did you SEE that eagle?" I called excitedly to people around me. No. They were all glued to their smartphone screens. Nobody else saw it. What a shame.
Watching that eagle was a peak, ecstatic moment in my life. I'll never forget it.
We all need more low-level ecstasy in our lives. This is a call to open your eyes, to see and feel the wonder and joy in life.
Driving through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest (my personal ground) the road crosses Trout Creek. The creek is narrow and bordered by 200 ft Douglas fir trees. As I approached the bridge, a bald eagle came soaring down the canyon passing over the bridge at about twenty feet (a hundred feet above the water). It was like a B52 doing a low pass down 7th Avenue in NYC. I nearly went off the bridge. It was scouting for fish, I am sure, but it turned it's head and looked right at me for a moment. Magical.