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The Hawk Fantasy

   Hey, everyone. I have found that you can not put nature in a box, she'll break free every time. I know that sounds like Jurassic Park but it's true.
    I have this mockingbird that hangs around here. I have written about him before. You may remember my post called Mockingbird Torments Squirrels. This weird bird would imitate the cry of a hawk and scare the dickens out of these squirrels. Remarkable as that may sound, I have a new one for you. Most of us have probably seen a hawk glide on the thermal currents and envied them their freedom and power. Did you think another bird might feel that way?
    Today I was walking down my driveway and I saw a mockingbird turn sideways to the wind and let it sweep him to the east, just like a hawk. I've never seen a mockingbird do that. Of course he was very low compared to a hawk and his wings didn't do as efficient a job but he was giving it the old college try. If he had tried to catch a thermal and rise up without flapping, I'm confident that he couldn't do that.
     I wonder if mockingbirds are more like people than we'd care to admit. We have our little fantasies about careers and abilities that don't coincide with reality very well. I do a pretty good imitation of John Wayne's voice but I can't be like him on my best day. For that matter there is only one John Wayne.
    Self-delusion is a powerful thing. Role playing can be fun until it gets past a certain point and then it becomes dangerous. To be able to look at one's self honestly is not very much fun but it could be a good thing. If I had to fantasize about being a bird, a hawk would be fine, but an eagle, now that's a fantasy.
     From the author's green retreat, I'm CE Wills.
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