(c) Danny L. McMllin
What inspires you to keep going, no matter what? Is it an admirable person? A dynamic leader? A work of art?
Bald eagles inspire me. Watching them in my Seattle neighborhood reminds me to keep going, no matter what.
Yes, bald eagles.
Why do I write about nonhuman mentors? Because my business is about challenging mindset through storytelling, and creating new ways of thinking about life in the world with my crystal partner, Fallon. Because the people, and businesses, who prosper think outside the norm, to learn from the world around them.
Bald eagles are normal: we just don’t see them that much. So when we do, or hear about them, we stop and think about just what it is we’re seeing. And learning.
I’m inspired by watching eagle generations: the mature bald eagles with the classic white heads and tails and their growing offspring, the mottled maybe-two-year-olds I call the juveniles (okay, maybe the technical term is ‘immature’).
Eagles clearly have the basics in life nailed down. They’re fully present in the act of being bald eagles, even when they goof up.
We, however, live in the most technologically advanced civilization ever, but many of us are stuck. Who isn’t for getting unstuck?
Nail the landing: One morning I looked out the window and saw several dozen crows and gulls in flight, harassing an eagle, who ignored them as it majestically landed in a fir tree. For an instant it was magical, and then the eagle fell out of the tree. As it fell it immediately took flight, with the gulls and crows still after it.
Do you get cocky? Where do you need to tweak your life plans? How quickly do you recover from your goof-ups? In time to soar? Or do you crash? What’s the difference?
Respect your elders; understand the risks: Grace the Cat, our family cat, is an indoor cat except for regular forays through our deck garden. You’d think she’d be clueless about the badass world out there, but she is Grace. She sits in the window, scolds the chickadees and crows, and spies on passing cats, raccoons, possums, squirrels, and even an occasional coyote, but … a bald eagle? One day Grace was strolling towards our sliding glass doors when an adult eagle perched on the light pole across the street swiveled its head and stared right at her. For one stunning instant Grace and the eagle were eye to eye, then Grace promptly flattened herself on the floor, head tucked under her arm. Smart cat, not taking any chances! Scold a crow, yes. Hunt an eagle? Never.
How street smart are you? What do you do when someone is bigger and badder than you are? Duck and cover? Change tactics? Play nice? Hide?
- (c) Gary R. Jones
Run in a good crowd: When bald eagles hang out, it’s with other bald eagles. Every other bird is either after them (clearly not successful, since the eagles ignore them) or respectfully hanging on the sidelines.
Who are the eagles in your life? Why? What do you learn from them? What do they learn from you? Do they inspire you?
Our challenge for greatness: I’m willing to learn from my nonhuman mentors. Are you? It’s a lot less pressure, and a lot more storytelling. The thing is, we know humans, even when we think we don’t. But if you look at the nonhumans you see how others get along (or don’t), without all the game playing that humans do. The lessons we learn from them are priceless: we’re not pressured to conform, as we often are with humans. We’re simply given space to observe and appreciate other life.
To get unstuck from the daily grind. To learn from it. Which helps us soar.
Which makes us great.
© 2012 Robyn M Fritz
