Good neighbors

By Karen Farris, Op-ed contributor Thursday, May 23, 2019

Courtesy of Karen Farris | Courtesy of Karen Farris

The next door neighbors were here before we moved in. I didn’t know anything about them, or their odd habits, and it took Nick, the UPS driver to introduce me to them. He knew them and admired their lifestyle.

After that, I took more notice of them. They weren’t as odd as I thought. They rose early like I did, loved the beach like I did, and they seemed to enjoy sharing their time as a couple. I’d watch them sitting together just gazing out at the sparkling sea.

One time, as I sat on a beach log, and the two were sitting nearby, I snapped their picture. My zoom lens helped, because they were perched on the tallest tree. Yes, this eagle pair, my closest neighbors, had been slowly inviting me to see their world.

Oh, I will never see as well as they can—for their vision is far superior to my human eyes. And their gracefulness is unmatched—flying together in a way that no dance move could ever do.

Over the seasons, I’ve watched them break off tree limbs and carry them to their hidden nest. I’ve watched in awe as they’ve taught their young how to wait for the tides to change and then snag a fish in the shallow waters.

We’ve now shared 25 seasons as neighbors along this wooded shoreline.

Recently, I went down to the beach and saw my eagle friend resting on the log where I usually sit. She turned and steadily watched me. She seemed tired. She didn’t move, nor did I. As I calculated her lifecycle, she’s like I am—entering her senior years. We’ve both watched our offspring grow up, and now as we rest on the beach we both love, I wonder how many more seasons she’ll have. I wonder if it’s harder for her to soar above the storm clouds like I’ve watched her do so many times.

As we sat and watched the waves, I thought about what my senior season of life might bring. I sighed.

My neighbor then spread her enormous wings and slowly rose. I watched as she flew above the water, tipping her wing towards heaven. She seemed just as strong. In all of the years we’ve been neighbors, we’d never been this close to one another.

It's almost like God used her to remind me of Isaiah’s words, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Karen Farris served in the crisis pregnancy ministry — traveling thousands of miles and speaking to over 10,000 students about their life choices — for nearly a dozen years. She became a grant writer and helps find resources for projects that serve those in poverty, mainly children. She's been a blogger since 2010 — Friday Tidings — sharing stories of faith, life, and purpose to give hope in a hurting world.