Eagles are born with big, heavy wings. They learn to fly without actually flapping their wings. They do this to conserve energy. Instead, they rely on wind thermals, a gust of wind that will rise from the atmosphere. The wind lifts the eagles and with a mix of flying and soaring they rise. Their wings are spread straight out, and they soar with perfect ease on the wind currents.

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Episode Transcript:

Long time ago; someone gifted two eaglets, baby eagles, to a King. The King had never seen such magnificent eaglets before. The king was very pleased with the gift and decided to hire an experienced caretaker for them.

After some time, they grew quite big and were looking fantastic and majestic. The King said to the caretaker of the eagles, “I want to see them in flight. Get them to fly in the sky. The man signalled the eagles and both started fluttering as soon as they saw the signal. One eagle soared high into the sky, while the other flew for some seconds and returned to the branch from where it began.

The King became curious to know the reason of the contrasting behaviour of eagles and asked the caretaker, “What’s the matter? One eagle is flying so well, the other one is not trying to fly?” The caretaker replied, “Yes, this is the problem with this eagle, he does not leave this branch.”

Both the eagles were precious to King, and he desperately wanted to see the second eagle flying high in the sky. Next day he announced to the whole nation that any person who could get the second eagle to fly would be richly rewarded.

Many knowledgeable persons came and tried to make the eagle fly high, but no one was successful. Even after several weeks, there was no improvement in the eagle. He would fly a little but immediately return to his branch. The king too lost hope and almost gave up.

Then one day something strange happened, the king saw that both eagles soaring high in the sky. He couldn’t believe his eyes and immediately called the caretaker. The caretaker informed the King, “Yes, the second eagle is soaring high in the sky. One man was successful in getting the bird to fly high.”

The King asked for the man to be brought to him. When the man came, the King presented him with the promised rewards. The King said, “I am very pleased with you; just tell me how you did this which great scholars and highly qualified people could not do.” The farmer said,” Your highness, I am a simple farmer, I don’t have knowledge like scholars, I just simply cut down the branch on which the eagle had a habit of perching. As there was no branch, he had no option but to fly. And that he did very well.”

We can learn much from the eagle. The great poet and mystic Rumi said: You were born with potential.  You were born with goodness and trust.  You were born with ideals and dreams.  You were born with greatness.  You were born with wings.  You are not meant for crawling, so don’t.  You have wings.  Learn to use them and fly.

Just as the eagle didn’t realise that he could actually soar high into the heavens and preferred to remain on the branch, we too sometimes underestimate ourselves and don’t realise our true potential. In life, we can become accustomed to doing certain things and keep doing what we’ve always done, remaining in our comfort zones and forgetting about our capacity to soar to great heights.

We are all made to fly high in life. After the farmer cut the branch, the eagle had no option but to move from its comfort zone and start working. Only then did it realise its true potential. Therefore, to fly high in life and unlock our true potential, it is necessary that we cut the branch of our own comfort zone. Great things in life are only achieved when we move out of the comfort zone.

The story also gives a powerful message that sometimes we can begin our “flight” with some gentle training, as happened in the case of first eagle. Other times, we need something more drastic – like our branch cut off, take a leap of faith, so that we have no other choice but to spread our wings and fly!

In the Bible, the Good Book, the Prophet Isaiah says: They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint. [Isaiah 40:31]

Eagles are born with big, heavy wings. They learn to fly without actually flapping their wings. They do this to conserve energy. Instead, they rely on wind thermals, a gust of wind that will rise from the atmosphere. The wind lifts the eagles and with a mix of flying and soaring they rise. Their wings are spread straight out, and they soar with perfect ease on the wind currents.

Eagles have an innate sense of when a storm is approaching long before it breaks. The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, the eagle sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle doesn’t escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher far above the clouds. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.  We can use the storms of life to rise to greater heights. Like the eagles, we too can rise above them.

Eagles have a keen vision. Their eyes are specially designed for long distance focus and clarity. When an eagle sights his prey, he will not move his focus from the prey. To be all we can be, we must have clear vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacles may be. Wide vision enables us to see more windows of opportunity and how they might be utilised. We learn to reach into the deep reservoirs of ability and potential that is within us.

Just like a ship is not made for the harbour and the eagle is not designed to sit on a branch, you and I were not created for a mediocre life. You are made to soar in life.

And helping hands reached down for me To lift me up, to set me free.

New friends saw what I could see, Said “Be the best that you can be.

You can do it we’re proud of you” So I spread my wings and then I… FLEW!!!!!!

Look for the silver lining.

This is Terry Lees

[Music: The Eagle – Waylon Jennings]