The Eagle that Waited

To work, grocery shopping, visiting friends.  

If the car was moving, the gear was in it.  

One of my biggest obstacles was what I referred to as “camera shyness”.  It felt weird stopping on the side of the road because I saw something interesting.  But this time, it really was interesting and I slowly found I had stopped worrying about what anyone else might think.

That is how I spotted my first eagle, sitting on a tree over the river.  At that point in my life I really hadn’t noticed eagles out in my neck of the woods before.  I was pumped.

As fate would have it, I turned the car around, parked on the side of the road.  I did not want to get out and scare it away.  I got my camera ready, still no idea what settings to use or why but it was ready enough for that moment.  

The window went down. Excitement went up.  

I lifted the camera…

…and hey, where are you going?  

The eagle took off. No picture.  

And just to frustrate this new photographer, the same thing happened a few more times over the next while.  I was thrilled he kept coming back but frustrated at my repeated failures.

One night I was up late on the computer. Time slipped by and suddenly it was past midnight.  For some reason I decided to check my bank account and take a look.

What?  

Wait?  

How?  

I had been robbed.  Digitally robbed I guess you could say.  

Five hundred dollars had been taken out of my account and of all the places in Dubai.  I can assure you I have never been there.  I was blown away.  

It was just before Christmas.  I was on limited income and that five hundred made a big difference.  I felt violated. Angry.  Overwhelmed and very tired.  

I went to bed determined to figure it out in the morning.

Before work the next day, I went to the bank. Thankfully they had no issues reimbursing the amount due to their insurance coverage.  Their best guess was my card was skimmed somewhere. Grocery store or gas station.  

I left the bank relieved. But I had this thought in my head.  

Over the years I had learned that  sometimes it is worth listening to the voices in my head, especially the still small quiet ones.

This one told me to ask God for a small favour.

Now you might be wondering, who would think of something like that after a morning like this.  Apparently I do.  

With a small bit of faith that He would hear and answer, I said, “Lord, you know what would make this day that much better?”  

I paused, almost as if waiting for an answer even though I was aware He already knew what I was about to ask. 

“That eagle, if it was sitting on the tree branch over the river could You make it stay long enough this time for me to get a picture or two?”

It did not feel like too big a request.  I was not asking for more money after that whole bank incident.

I just wanted a picture.

So I got in my car and started driving toward work, thankfully with a little extra time to spare. And yes, you guessed it. 

There he was sitting on the same branch.  Three lanes of traffic and a small river between us.  But with my long lens, he felt close.

Now this happened over 10 years ago and to this day, that picture hangs on my wall and I tell the story exactly the same way.  

That beautiful eagle looked straight at me through the lens as if to say,

 “I was told you wanted a picture.  Here is your chance.  Take it, but hurry up.” 

I snapped the photo. 

Almost immediately after the look of approval, his wings opened up and he flew away following the river’s path.

I never saw the  eagle return to sit on that branch again after that day.  

But the photograph from that morning still hangs on my wall more than ten years later.

Every time I look at it, I am reminded of a couple of  things.

Life will occasionally throw some bends your way like a stolen $500 just before Christmas.

But it will also give you moments that remind you there is still wonder out there. 

Sometimes those moments arrive quietly…

With a  little bit of faith and a silent prayer.

And sometimes they arrive on the wings of an eagle.

Either way, they rarely stay long. 

So be thankful, be ready.

And when the moment comes…

take the picture.