Life Lessons From A Bald Eagle

As many of you know the Wendi Atwood Rogers Foundation is based in Dallas, Texas. We have a thriving economy, and people from all over the United States are moving to Texas in large numbers. People move here from small markets for a better job or to escape harsh weather (which is not always the case), enjoy no state income tax, and for less expensive housing costs. And to those people, we say welcome.

Recently, Dallas had a young couple move here, from where, not sure. They picked a beautiful spot in a park designed with soccer and rugby fields, a play ground, and very old and tall Cottonwood trees, directly across from White Rock Lake. How serene and beautiful! The couple is a young breeding pair of Bald Eagles. Not something we see in Dallas, and especially in a busy park on a six-lane major road. The spot was perfect to them though because of the efficiency by which they could fish and grab a quick gull from time-to-time. Their nest, huge; eggs laid. The park was shut down to protect them, and people were allowed to view them from the other side of the 6 lane road.

Unfortunately we experienced very high winds yesterday (30 mph wind gusts) which broke the rotted limb in which they built their home, and the nest and eggs fell to the ground in the park. They were heart broken as were hordes of onlookers. They circled and screamed to no avail. The Eagles finally settled down and now sit above in their cottonwood tree looking at their nest plotting their next move. The nest and eggs are still protected by Federal laws, so the park remains closed so the Eagles can have their privacy.

I was ill when I heard what happened. I had driven by that afternoon on my way home and noticed the Eagles sitting close to each other in a tree, but I could not see the nest, which was not the usual case. She usually sat in the nest, he guarded from across the park keeping an eagle eye on the area.

This morning I reflected on what humans could have done to help the Eagles. I realized that nature happens. High winds, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, eruptions, tsunamis, etc. happen, and there is not a thing we can do to stop them. What we can do is prepare, be ready, protect, pick up the pieces, start over, and move on. As the Parks and Wildlife officer stated to a reporter with the Dallas Morning News, the Eagles are resilient. This may have been their first attempt at a nest. They will move on and try again.

Here at the Foundation we are here to serve, no matter where you are in the U.S. or beyond, through guidance, networking, connection, mentoring. Our lesson for the day, move on and try again.