- It was a clear cold day in
the frozen tundra wastelands of what is now known as Alaska, an icy wind was blowing,in
the middle of this wasteland was a single tree, sleeping its winter sleep; suddenly a
bright flash of pure white light which lasted for a second and no longer occurred, when
the light faded all was as it was except that perched on one of the branches of the tree
was a large brown hawk. The hawk looked around, as if to get its bearings, let out a
screech, then it proceeded to preen its feathers. When it finished with this, it leapt
into the air and with powerful wing beats it left to find 'The One' it was meant to search
out.
As it flew it took one last look at the tree, its place of birth, knowing it would never
see it again. It passed over a village of eskimos, and circled once, as it did so the
people looked up and their hearts filled with awe and wonder at the sight of the
magnificant creature.
The hawk, upon seeing that 'The One' was not in this village, let out a screech and
continued its journey. The people, while sad to see it go, wished it safety and speed.
They knew it had a mission and it was not meant for them.
The hawk continued south, circling each village letting out a screech each time it saw
that 'The One' it was meant for was not there. Its animal brothers the deer, elk, wolves,
and so forth would each give their own cry to their brother as a symbol of luck to him in
fulfilling his destiny.
The Hawk travelled for many weeks never resting, always searching..never finding, when it
reached the center of what is now California it felt within its heart that it must turn
east, that it would find what it was meant for in the grasslands, so it turned and made
its way over the mountains, and across deserts, each time circling any village it came
upon, each time screeching when it didn't find 'The One.'
During a warm summer day it happened upon a tribe in the grasslands, it circled once, and
this time it did not screech. 'The One' was here, it felt it was, so the hawk gradually
decended and landed upon a large wooden frame holding tapestry painting made from buffalo
hide, and waited.
The people of this village were in wonder of this creature and felt blessed to have such a
magnificant animal visit them. They all stopped to admire the bird but none dared to
approach, except for one indian boy whose name meant Empty One.
Many of the tribe members speculated he had no spirit, that he was no more than an empty
shell. They cared for him since his mother died while birthing him, even though he did not
talk or smile or show emotion he was a member of the tribe, and they would not shun one of
their own.
The boy made his way to stand before the frame upon which the hawk was perched. He looked
at the bird and the bird at him, each measuring the other, their eyes met, and they
searched each other's souls, for the first time in his life the corner of the boy's mouth
started to lift in a slight smile, and a single tear rolled down his cheek. The hawk
spread its wings and the boy mimicked the actions by spreading his arms, the boy then
turned to face the people and took a few steps toward them with his arms still
outstretched. Then he stopped, the hawk beat its wings and flew straight at the boy. Just
when the bird was about to collide with the boy there was a brilliant flash of light and
the hawk screeched for the final time knowing it would be truly home.
When the light faded the hawk was no more, but the boy remained, his face turned toward
the bright sunlight, tears streaming down his cheeks, a smile full upon his face, and a
light within his eyes; a light that was missing before, the light of his spirit, the tribe
then renamed the boy "Spirit Hawk."
There is a spirit hawk meant for all of us; some of us have it and let it fly, some have
it within but refuse to let it free, for fear of where it may take them. Others await the
hawk's arrival. For those who fear to let it fly, don't. If you allow your hawk to fly
with your spirit you will see heights never before imagined, depths never before realized,
and you will see things within yourself and others you never knew existed.
It will allow you to see the wonder and magic that still exists in the world around us.
For those who await the arrival of your spirit hawk, it will find you, and when it does
embrace it, and what it stands for. It may come in the form of another person, or it may
come from insight within yourself, but it shall find you eventually. To let your spirit
soar beyond the flesh and blood, and believe in things you otherwise might not is to truly
live and be free.
-
The End.
