This right here. I think some of us feel the same way. I was invested in Jackie and Shadow since 2019. I enjoyed getting glimpse of their lives and habitat. What a joy.
Thank you Rosanna for your beautiful post reflecting what most of us feel right now. Thank you!
Repost From: Big Bear Bald Eagles, Rosanna Reyes.
For quite some time now, I have belonged to a family different from my own—but not for the reasons one might usually imagine.
Those were the dark and frightening days of 2020, when a heavy veil of uncertainty hung over our everyday lives. Mornings felt gray, evenings cold. We never knew who—or what—might suddenly pass beyond our reach, and so we carried on with the constant fear that bad news might be waiting just outside our doors. We were overwhelmed by the new reality of mandatory isolation, a routine that robbed us of our peace and made us prisoners of sameness.
And then, in the midst of it all, a family stepped into the public eye simply by going about the extraordinary task of living—and bringing life into the world.
Through a blessed camera fastened high above the ground, somehow held in place by the mercy of the elements that seemed to conspire in its favor, we were given the privilege of watching, live, the simple and marvelous life of a family of Bald Eagles. The locals knew them as Jackie and Shadow.
You see, the bond between these two was witnessed and blessed by a group of strangers—a group that grew larger and larger as we discovered that there was something glorious and magnificent in simply watching them live: working together, overcoming challenges, and sharing the victories of a life built side by side.
They created a home and prepared it with devotion. They provided with love and gave themselves completely and selflessly to one another. And in doing so, they created a wave of devoted admirers, people who were fascinated and deeply moved by the chance to become part of something so beautifully familiar: family life.
With every courtship and every nesting season, we became devoted aunts and uncles, proudly celebrating every new milestone reached by our feathered nieces and nephews.
Watching the tireless work that took place behind the scenes—the endless devotion of two determined parents—made many of us reflect on the way we were raising our own families. And perhaps that was the greatest lesson of all.
They inspired in us a profound admiration and a desire to follow their example. They taught us resilience, patience, self-control, and the certainty that every day brings its own challenges—but that if we simply focused on making it through that one day, we had already won most of the battle.
Then came the turbulent teenage time of the eaglets.
Encouraged—and sometimes pushed—by their parents, they began stretching their wings and claiming their own place in the sky. And once again, all of us held our breath with every attempt at flight.
Simba, Cookie, Spirit, Misty, Sunny, Gizmo, Sandy, and Luna—all of them eventually flew from the nest under the watchful eyes and blessing of their parents, and of millions of honorary aunts and uncles. They left us with hearts full of satisfaction and gratitude for having witnessed yet another season of our favorite series.
And then Jackie and Shadow, with all the pride and magnificence of their species, would spread their wings once again—free and majestic—to watch new sunsets, rebuild their nest, and simply enjoy each other’s company.
That was when I finally understood.
Because, just like them, I too watched my nest become empty. We too had to push our children out into the world.
And I cried.
And I asked myself a thousand questions.
But time and again, the image of two eagles soaring across the sky brought peace back to my heart. It reminded me that as long as life continues, there will always be room to spread our wings and fly toward new adventures.
Thank you, Jackie and Shadow, for teaching us how to live.
And thank you to everyone behind the Big Bear Eagle Cam for making us family.
