Vultures
While on patrol in the suburbs outside Philly,
FWH Community Member Anthony and his partner, Kevin, happened upon something… wild.
Now, Anthony is a former Philly P.D. Ofc.,
So happening upon something wild is far from foreign to him…
But this was a much different type of wild—
It was a bald eagle!
And not just any bald eagle—
A desperate bald eagle in need of serious help.
She was sick, unable to fly, and stranded in an open field—
With starved yet patient vultures circling above her.
Immediately, Anthony and Kevin did what they’re sworn to do—
And sprung into action to protect and serve.
They scooped her up, wrapped her in a blanket, and rushed her to a veterinary hospital for care.
Photos below!
I tell you this story, first, to celebrate these Officers,
And, second, because it’s a powerful metaphor for the FWH Community and who we are as Eagles!
While you work hard for your dream,
As sure as the sun rises,
There will be haters, critics, and naysayers—
The vultures.
They’ll make you feel misunderstood, labeled, and judged.
They’ll circle you in silence,
Waiting for you to fail
So they can feed on your failure
To nourish their fears.
Then, there will be Eagles.
They’ll make you feel empowered, supported, and unchained.
They, too, will circle you, but not in silence.
They’ll cheer for you, pull for you, rise for you,
Waiting for you to win
So they can celebrate your achievement,
And who you’ve become.
Remember, no matter what your season of life right now—
Winning, losing, or somewhere in between—
You are stronger and smarter than you think, and
You are not alone.
The Eagles are here with you,
The FWH Community believes in you,
And we will see you win.
Joey
OH, also—
Despite the bald eagle being down and out, Anthony mentioned she fought with tenacity and flashed her talons, refusing to submit to her sickness.
Her spirit reminds me of why we call ourselves Eagles and my blog post about why Drew and I chose the bald eagle to represent FWH.
