A Powerful Image

By Mark W. Danielson

This isn’t my photo. I borrowed it from a Facebook friend. I’m posting it here because of the powerful images it provokes. Better than the best prose, this picture speaks volumes because it captures our hearts. Why is that? Is it because of the eagle, the cemetery, or both? Let’s start with the eagle.

More than a symbol of the United States, the American Bald Eagle is perhaps the most majestic bird in existence. A master of air and fierce hunter, one cannot help being in awe. We normally see this bird soaring or attacking with its talons out. Perhaps this is why it is so heartbreaking to see it perched atop a tombstone in a veterans’ cemetery.

Even without the eagle, this cemetery photo is chilling as we imagine the young faces of those buried in the endless rows. Futures denied and future generations lost because of war. In the background, the mist and low sun forge a solitary setting. Add the perched eagle and eyes start to well.

What makes this photo especially interesting is how the eagle hides the veteran’s religious affiliation. Without realizing it, this bird demonstrated that people of all denominations die in the name of the sword, but in the end, dead is dead – at least in our dimension. No political rhetoric or medal can change that for these veterans, but even death cannot strip them of the honor. This is what these cemeteries are for -- to pay homage and honor their memories.

If I was teaching a writing class, I would ask my students to write a short story about this photo. No doubt some would share tales of their loved ones while others might debate politics. Certainly whatever stories they share would be extremely personal and touching. I would than ask them to write a brief description of this this photo. Some may pronounce it the bite of approaching winter while others may pray for eternal peace for those who died for their country. But since I am not a professor of creative writing, I am opening this up to our blog readers. What, exactly, do you see in this photo, and can you describe it in a sentence or two? The challenge is yours.

The Spirit of America

By Mark W. Danielson

The best part of piloting airplanes is the incredible view. Sunsets, sunrises, cloud formations, ocean swells, mountains, canyons, and patchwork prairies are all interesting and often spectacular. At night over the Pacific, fishing fleets look like large cities. On a moonless night, the stars are so bright, the planets and constellations are indiscernible. But none of these sights compares with what I saw the other day while taxing for takeoff in Denver. Shortly after paralleling the runway, an American bald eagle swooped down and flew abeam us for about ten seconds. I’m certain it wasn’t the least bit attracted to our purple and white MD-11. More likely, it was looking for breakfast in the weeded area next to the taxiway. Even so, it was incredible viewing our national symbol twisting and bending its wings in such close proximity. Near the end of its flight with us, a red tailed hawk took flight ahead of the eagle. The hawk looked mighty small in comparison.
This spectacle made my day. First, it demonstrates that the bald eagle has bounced back from near extinction. Second, we are fortunate to have such a majestic creature as our national symbol, and not the turkey that Ben Franklin suggested. As savvy as a wild turkey is, it’s still a turkey of a bird. Of course, other countries have used eagles as symbols. Hitler was particularly fond of them because of their beauty and strength. Fortunately, the eagle never got a bad rap from that stint. Instead, it was limited to Hitler and his fellow visionaries.

No doubt America’s spirit has been challenged many times throughout history, and is certainly being challenged today. We have mucked up international politics so often that our initials seem synonymous with trouble. But at the same time, whenever there is an international crisis, the USA is always the first to pledge its support. No other country has given so much to relief efforts.

I guess that’s why seeing this eagle instilled so much pride. Far more than a beautiful bird, it reflected our strength, confidence, and conviction. Now is a perfect time to carry that spirit by donating to the Red Cross to help those less fortunate, and remind the world that in spite of our shortcomings, our giving spirit lives on. http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ntld_main&s_subsrc=