The Chicken Eagle

"So many of us would rather cling to the familiar than risk the unknown. The past is familiar, something we can hold on to, while the future is completely uncharted and feels groundless. But we must venture forward in order to grow, Jesus taught his students to walk towards their fears with an open heart rather than away from them, to face them head-on so that we can dissolve their hold over us. Often stepping out of our comfort zone has more to do with the simplicity of forgiveness and self-honesty than it does with the grandiose of breaking out of some box." -Baron Baptiste

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I enjoy writing and was also inspired to write a story. Tell me what you think.

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THE CHICKEN EAGLE . The short story of Nathan and Naomi By LaVita Ru

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There was a boy eagle, named Nathan born in a chicken coop. Why this happened was a mystery, but it did. This eagle did not know he was an eagle; he had only known the ways of chickens and they were his best friends. Nathan had no idea of his special ability, purpose and power because he only knew his life as a chicken in a chicken coop. This seemed a safe, fun and comfortable life. Well, one day Nathan met a girl eagle named Naomi who landed in a tree nearby, and they became fast friends. Nathan thought she was lovely because he had never seen a bird like her, with bold long wings and sharp pretty eyes, and she was able to jump up high into the sky too! At least none of those kind of birds stopped to talk to him. He wondered about her uniqueness- how did she do these things? Where did she come from?

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Once they bonded, she would leave and return every day after they met and Naomi grew to like Nathan very much. They played and laughed from sun up to sun down most times. One day Naomi opened up to say to Nathan that she knew in her heart they were kindred spirits destine to be. She thought he would agree because they had grown so close, but to her surprise Nathan ran away.

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After some time Nathan returned and confessed, "You are a weird girl chicken but still a girl chicken all the same. Though they make fine friends to play with, when girls chickens start to cluck and peck at me, it hurts. So I am cautious about you- especially because you look like some new type of chicken I haven't seen before, with all your fancy ideas!"

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After hearing this Naomi laughed and said, "Silly bird, you can't compare me with a chicken, that's just weird. I am not a chicken at all, and frankly neither are you."

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"What, are you coo-coo? I AM a chicken and you are the silly bird- with your funny wings and your big thick talons."

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"You don't see that we are the same?" Naomi shook her head, unruffled her wings and told him she would be back the next day, as she flew off high into the sky.

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Nathan watch in awe as the sun seemed to swallow her. Nathan did not care to believe in her words; however, in his heart and spirit he did surrender to the impulsive feeling that Naomi was one of the most beautiful birds he had ever seen.

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The next morning Naomi returned to his little yard with a looking glass in her beak and upon landing gently dropped it onto the ground in front of him. "Hello, there my friend." She greeted him.

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"Hello again you funny chicken, I like how you jump up into the sky and stay! " Nathan said and laughed.

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"Uh, do you mean fly? Thanks, I love to fly and you might too if you tried... and Nathan, I have a question?"

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"What?" Nathan bobbed and strutted a circle around a good spot on the ground, scratched away at it and then darted his beak into the soft soil to grab a worm and gulped it down.

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"Have you ever tried to fly? Naomi asked.

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"Heavens no! Chickens can't fly! So I can't do that! It is not our way.""

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"Who told you you were a chicken?"

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"I have always beena chicken. It is just who I am." Nathan straightened up and shot his chest out with pride in his declaration.

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"Well, I am going to show you something you may not have seen before- or just never paid attention to." Naomi flipped up the looking glass for him to see his reflection for what may have been his first time.

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"What is this? How did you get that in there?" Nathan looked up close at the peculiar glass and studied it carefully.

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"That is your reflection, a true image of you. Haven't you ever paid attention at your water whole before? You can see your reflection there too! I am like your mirror because you are an eagle, like me."

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"I love being a chicken. Anyway, a bird is a bird. It means nothing to me to be an eagle."

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"It is nothing wrong with loving chickens, as long as you don't ignore the fact and honor that you are an eagle. Now that I have found you, I would love to show you how to fly and be as great as you were born to be. What it is like to kiss the sun and see the world that waits for you beyond this chicken coop."

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"Wow. That sounds exciting... but I am afraid because all I have done is be a chicken and honestly, that works for me."

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"Does it really? The chicken coop seems like such a confining place -compared to where I live- with all its rules, gates and conditions. I understand it is all you know and it seems a justly comfort for you to stay here. But don't you want to learn to fly? Why would God give us these broad wings if we were not meant to use them. I can't imagine life without stretching my wings out wide. Don't you want to learn more about the life of an eagle and what it's like to sore through those cool clouds up high? Look at them!" Naomi jumped around and danced as she shared her words of inspiration.

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"I am not saying I don't. I just don't know if I can trust you and your words of grander. It is not what I was taught. Chicken life is not perfect but you may be bad for me."

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Nathan’s words came down on her like a shade of sadness. Why couldn't he see? Naomi realized then that all things happen as they should and in their own time. It would not be fair or polite to push Nathan to be what he in his mind was not ready to be. "Well, Nathan I really enjoyed meeting you. You will always be my friend and maybe one day when and if the time is right, we can have a new adventure. I will return and we will see the world together." Naomi smiled at Nathan, wishing him love and light, as she flew away into the sky once more.

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Nathan tilted his head down toward the looking glass on the ground that Naomi left behind to see that the eagle was still in it, and then flexed his large talon in the soil- which were much different in tone and size than the talons of his friends whom he loved and protected so dearly. Then he looked up at the high branch where he found Naomi sitting the day they met, and wondered if he could sit there too.

Sometimes the unknown is where you find yourself...