The Gifts of the Red Tailed Hawk

As it is our custom every morning, my neighbor and friend Donna and I took our morning walk. We try to walk about 2.5 miles every morning. Sometimes we make it and other times we don't. Either way, it's good for us both to get out, since we primarily work from home.

Lo and behold during our walk, yesterday, we were witness to a beautiful hawk, perched in one of the trees in our condo community.
We were so excited, and I ran home to get my camera, while Donna grabbed her binoculars. We believe it is a Red Tailed Hawk, after looking at the pictures. It was gorgeous, and it seemed to wait for us, allow us to snap some pictures, and then promptly and majestically flew from the tree.

That encounter, alone, made my whole morning, but the events of the rest of the day were even more interesting.

After we saw the hawk, I helped Donna take a bunch of large boxes to the trash compactor, and out of the blue, a guy that was there emptying his trash, took over and took all of the boxes and put them in the compactor. We didn't even know who he was, but he did it all. Very nice thing.

Later in the day, Donna called me and said, "Hey what are you doing tonight? Do you want to go see John Fogerty in concert?"

What??? Are you kidding??? I said, "well, how much does it cost?" and she said, "Oh, honey it doesn't cost a thing, I got the tickets FOR FREE!!!"

Another neighbor of ours, that I have not met, but will do so now, was not able to go to the concert so he handed the tickets to Donna.

Not only were they free, but they were incredible seats at the new Cobb Energy Centre, here in Marietta.

Fogerty has not lost his touch, since his days with Creedence Clearwater Revival. This guy played, non-stop, for two hours. His band was smokin'--no joke. What an even bigger treat to know that Billy Burnette was one of his guitarists.

One of the most touching parts of the rocking concert was John's song concerning Iraq, while looking back at the Vietnam war as well. While he sang the song, "Deja Vu All Over Again," a video played, with all sorts of images from Iraq and Vietnam. It was very moving.

Fogerty rocked the roof off of the gorgeous venue.

This is one of those almost perfect days, that rarely happen. Donna and I couldn't figure out what we had done to receive that sort of Karmic gift, but then I read a little about the Red Tailed Hawk.

It seems that this particular bird of prey is held sacred by many Native American tribes, and here's what I found on a particular Web site:


Pueblo peoples referred to them as "red eagles" and felt that red-tailed hawks, like the eagle, had a special connection with the sky and the sun. Because hawks are high fliers who can see the earth clearly from their heights, their feathers were often used ceremonially to carry prayers to the sun and the Creator. Hawk feathers, as well as eagle, were also used in healing ceremonies. Southwestern people used them in ceremonies to pray for rain. To the Ojibwa, the Red-tailed Hawk clan was on of the leadership clans. Its members have the gifts of deliberation and foresight.

From what I understand, as well, when you see one of these birds, it means that good luck is coming to you.

I'd say, from everything that happened yesterday, this is true.

Donna says this is the Red Tailed Hawk, but I am not so sure. Take a look at the pictures for yourself, and if there is anyone looking at the pictures who knows about raptors and birds of prey, let me know if this is the Red Tail Hawk or a different hawk.

It's beautiful nonetheless.

It's these rare moments that make life so worth living.

And FOGERTY ROCKS!!!!

Enjoy the pictures.