HOW THE FEMALE EAGLE CHOOSES HER MATE
(As told by the Wintu Tribal Elders of California)

When it comes time for the female Eagle to choose her
mate, she prepares herself for many suitors. And many
come before her. She looks them over quite well and
then picks one to fly with for awhile.

If she likes the way he flies she finds a small stick,
picks it up and flies high with it. At some point she
will drop the stick to see if the male can catch it.

If he does, then she finds a larger stick and flies
with it much higher this time. Each time the male
catches the sticks, she continues to pick up larger
and larger sticks.

When she finds the largest, heaviest stick that she
herself can carry, the stick is at this point almost
the size of a small log! But she can still fly very
high with this large stick.

At any time in this process, if the male fails to
catch the stick, she flies away from him as her signal
that the test is now over.

She begins her search all over again. And when she
again finds a male she is interested in, she starts
testing him in the exact same way.

And she will continue this "testing" until she finds
the male Eagle who can catch all the sticks. And when
she does, she chooses him, and will mate with him
for life.

One of the reasons for this test is that at some point
they will build a nest together high up and will then
have their Eaglettes.

When the babies begin to learn to fly, they sometimes
fall instead. It is then that the male must catch his
young. And he does!

The female Eagle and their Eaglettes have depended on
him to be strong for them. Just as we Native women
and children need to depend upon our Native men.

So what I would like to offer to you my friends is this.
 
Sisters, how well do you "test" your suitors before you
allow them into your life?

And my Brothers, how well have you caught the "sticks"
for your women and your children?

Whatever our past has been like, if we need to change,
let's do so now together. Our children are counting on
us to make these good choices for them and for their
children.

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I hope that you enjoyed today's Positive Thoughts and story! It has a very important message that I hope everyone will read and follow. I think we can all learn something from the Eagles, right?!

God Bless,

Marilyn