Out for a run one day, I came across a stranger and their dog tucked away in the bushes. Surprised—and noticing the scope laying nearby—I asked if they were watching anything.
“Yes,” the stranger said. “Have you seen this bald eagle nest?”
I’ve always loved animals, and bald eagles were one of my favorites as a kid. I watched, repeatedly, a nature documentary from the Cedar Rapids Public Library featuring the species. It showed eagles nesting and chicks hatching, teaching me about the impact of DDT on birds and why this was so special. Now I often see eagles along the river or flying in unexpected places, but I had never spotted a nest.
This stranger, and my action to ask a question when I could have kept running, opened my life to a new experience, a new connection to the ecology of the Cedar River. Earlier this spring eagles returned to the nest, something I’ve been watching for all winter. Something I could have missed if I didn’t know to look.
I hope you—like the stranger—take time to experience the simple moments of life on Earth. I hope we all take action to connect, protect and restore nature, so that everyone can experience our natural world now and in the future. And I hope you—like me—continue to pause and ask questions of others, regardless of where you might be running.
—Robert Hogg
Robert Hogg is Prairiewoods’ program assistant and is looking forward to attending Spirituality in the 21st Century: Hope in Action April 26–27. This year’s event features Susan Bauer-Wu, PhD; Rev. Veronica M. Johnson; Leah Rampy, PhD; and musician Sara Thomsen. Learn more at prairiewoods.org/spirituality-in-the-21st-century.
image by USFWS Mountain-Prairie on Flickr