Miracles in feathers

Today I took my group to meet Steve, a falconer. The idea was for them to meet someone who is an expert in their field, and simply to observe and to listen, and to learn from any attitudes and beliefs that he holds that they might take into their own lives.

We witnessed an extraordinary relationship between the man and his birds. They knew his voice, talked to him, looked at him, mirrored his movements and trusted him absolutely. Meanwhile, Steve talked with a real passion about his work, and showed absolute love for his birds.

When he started to demonstrate, I was concerned for V because she had a mild phobia of birds. However, as the talk went on, you could see her simply becoming more and more rapt with attention and swept up by Steve's total passion. Then the moment came when he handed out a glove - V was closest and she took the glove straight away, and within a blink of an eye she was holding the Peregrine Falcon. Within another moment, she was so engaged in the process that she was stroking it. The look on her face sums it all up - she had overcome all her fears in that moment.

We all took away an experience which we will never forget.