Even Eagles

Need A

Push

~ Sumner M. Davenport

The eagle gently coaxed her offspring toward the edge of the nest.

Her heart quivered with conflicting emotions

as she felt their resistance to her persistent nudging.

“Why does the thrill of soaring have to begin with the fear of falling?”

she thought.

This ageless question was still unanswered for her.

As in tradition of the species,

her nest was located high on the shelf of a sheer rock face.

Below there was nothing but air to support the wings of each child.

“Is it possible that this time it will not work?” she thought.

Despite her fears, the eagle knew it was time,

her parental mission was all but complete.

There remained one final task

– THE PUSH.

The eagle drew courage from an innate wisdom.

Until her children discovered their wings,

there was no purpose for their lives outside the nest.

Until they learned to soar,

they would fail to understand the

privilege it was to have been born an eagle.

The push was the greatest

gift she had to offer.

It was her supreme act of love.

And so, one by one,

she pushed them and they flew.

We must remember that success begins when

we understand that life is about growing;

it is about acquiring the knowledge and skills we need to

live more fully and effectively.