the hawks were watching...

One of my favorite things to do while running is look for wildlife. In an urban residential setting I am somewhat limited to deer, various birds and the occasional groundhog. Nevertheless there are some woodsy parks and a river bikeway that provide their share of creatures. In order to see them, though, you have to be looking.

I usually set out on my long runs aiming to see interesting birds. While I regularly see sparrows, robins, cardinals, crows and grackles, there are just enough great blue herons, woodpeckers, and hawks and small songbirds to keep things interesting. This time of year is perfect for spotting new ones. The trees are bare and the weather is just starting to warm up, so you can see them flying through the branches to build their spring nests.

Lately, the red tailed hawk has been soaring about on my runs. They are certainly large and majestic, and at the same time, easy to miss. They fly up to 100 feet above the ground, floating on thermals and searching for prey. Often, they perch near the tops of trees and telephone poles, their gaze fixated on the ground below.

Hawks have always been just a little off putting to me. Maybe it’s the yellow or red eyes and hooked bill. Maybe it’s their size and wingspan. They are majestic, certainly, but a little threatening too. Yet, I love to spot a hawk while running. I have to stop and watch them--stare back at them staring at me, or see them soar in circles for a bit--before running off more focused and alert than I was before.

After seeing the red-tailed hawk on my last two long runs, and a few other times during the week I decided to find out if there was any spiritual symbolism to this creature. It turns out the hawk, in particular the red-tailed variety, is associated with messengers, protectors and visionaries. Soaring high above the earth and able to spot a mouse from 100 feet away, hawks have a sense of the big picture and remind us to be more alert to our surroundings. They also symbolize an awakening to your souls purpose, and freeing yourself from anything keeping you from achieving that purpose. They remind us to be open to hope and new ideas. The hawk also is a symbol of God’s care and protection, and if we listen to its message, we, too will be protected.

The symbolism of the hawk came in a timely way. As I struggle through these difficult weeks of training it has helped to be reminded that this will be worth it—that these walls I have hit are part of the journey. That finding my way through them, around them, and over them is part of the ultimate joy and achievement. There is a bigger picture here. The hawk can see it. And now, when I see the hawk, I am reminded to have faith that this run is a part of it, however difficult it might be that day.

We all need reminders to be more alert to our surroundings, to see things from a new angle and to believe in ourselves, and our dreams and our goals. These reminders can come in a multitude of ways. For me it’s the red-tailed hawk. For another, it might be something else. The message is far more important than the messenger—but to find it, you have to be looking.