The life of the eagle begins in the nest, the same nest that is built upon year after year after year, by the same builder ... the creator of the eaglet, its parent.

Being a fierce parent, the adult eagle provides daily nourishment and protection for the eaglet, guarding it from predators, strong gales of wind, and other extremes in the eaglets environment.

Being a gentle, nurturing parent, the adult cares for the eaglet, keeping it warm, sheltering it under large wings, making the nest comfortable with gentle softness of bits of moss, soft grasses, and down, plucked from its own being.

Being a playful parent, the adult teases the young one, as they explore together the hidden joys of carefree spirits within the nest.

Being a wise parent, the adult carefully observes its young, drawing from lessons learned when she was young, her wisdom is her being as she guides and teaches her young through the stages of growth. She watches, she sees, she senses, as adult, a wise parent, and after much nurturing, protecting feeding, and playing, her spirit knows it is time to guide the eaglet to its next level of life. She sees that her precious young one is no longer being filled with the wonders and joys of exploring new experiences. The eaglet has become very comfortable in this nest of down and moss, and no longer seeks the pleasure of discovering new horizons. Wisdom sees what must be done. Soon, the soft, comfortable and warm nest that eaglet has become complacent in, is disturbed by Wisdom. The parent tears up the moss, shreds the down, pulls forth the branches, brambles and thorns that make up the body of the nest. Eaglet has no choice but to move further, and higher up the ledge of the nest to avoid the pain and discomfort of this sudden change. Confused, frightened, and angry, eaglet perches on the edge of the nest, looking at what was once a comfortable shelter to hide from the storms that sometimes raged, and the predators that hunted in the dark of the night ... and then the young one looked into the eyes of it's parent, And KNEW.

With a gentle, but firm nudge, eaglet was pushed from her place of warmth and comfort, and tumbled over the edge of the nest, feeling the tug of the brambles as she fell, and losing a few of her little feathers along the way. Her heart beating fast in her chest she begins the plunge, spiraling, toppling, she descends into the cold and unknown depths of time and space. The terror and icy grip of fear has replaced the trust and knowing felt for one brief moment as she looked into the all seeing golden eye of her parent.

Continuing her rapid descent through the unknown winds, buffeting, bruising, changing winds, she forgets the playful, protecting, nurturing, and wise parent who pushed her on her journey and forgets ... that she has wings. All she sees is the rush of sky … further and further away. All she feels is the gust of wind, tearing at her with an icy grip … and still, she forgets. Forgets her loving parent and the security of the nest her parent provided … the complete faith when looking into the golden eye of wisdom.

Suddenly, the rush of spiraling, falling, plunging ice winds slows … slows … slows, and slowly, gently, the first flight begins…
 

Yet not on her own wings, yet not strong enough to carry her alone on her journey, but on the current of wind, between her soft, vulnerable, belly, and the strong, powerful, stalwart back and spirit wings … of her parent. Thus, her journey has begun. Many, many times this would be repeated until finally the eaglet understood the meaning of the words … "Wind Beneath My Wings".