Under The Wing of a Hawk

Shrewd of eye, sharp of ear, the Hawk is a magnificent hunter and protective mother. In time she will teach her offspring the ways to capture prey and survive in the wild.

I was raised by a woman who is quite like a hawk: smart, instinctive and completely invested in my survival, giving me all the knowledge I could ever need to thrive in this world.

There are still days even now when I need her like a small child, though I rarely allow myself the emotional luxury of dwelling in that place of deep lack - you see, she taught me that a strong spirit is one of the most important cultivated possessions a person could ever have.

So I sit quietly with my tears, my grief, my anger or injustice and I work to find that place inside that is beyond all pain, beyond all perceived slights.

It is the source of endless strength that we all have in our bravery.

It is accessible whenever we need it most.

It is never farther away than a prayer

or

a surrender.

In making this wing cuff, my mother was constantly on my mind; the parent she was and is, the gifts of maternal wisdom I am certain to receive should I have a child of my own...

We are all under some Greater wing, be it that of a mother, a Mother, a father or a Father. 

Strong as our arms are, supple as our musculature can be it's a nice reminder to have our delicate wrist under the wing of a bird,

wrapped in Falconiforme wisdom

protected by sharp vision

and

the luminous instinct to survive.