Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Holy Kiss

Home
Progressive Christian
The Eagle’s Flight.

The Eagle’s Flight.

Last updated on: October 1, 2019 at 1:01 am by Roger Wolsey

The Eagle’s Flight. 2019-10-01T01:01:32-07:00 Roger Wolsey

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“A scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.”

And, I am trustworthy – except when I’m not. I am loyal, except when I broke a vow. I am helpful, except when I’m being selfish and self-centered. I am friendly, except when I’m aloof and dismissive. I am courteous except when I’m rude. I am kind – except when I’m mean. I am obedient. Except when I pull illegal U-turns. I am cheerful, except when for the days when I’m sour, dour and a pill to be around. I am thrifty, except when I travel, or eat out. I am brave, if you count dishing out bold, prophetic rants on social media from the safety of my living room. I am clean – unless you’ve seen my living room. And I am reverent – for a heretic who some have called a “false teacher” and a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

An Eagle, I catch thermals and seem to soar with ease and without effort to those who look-on from a distance.
But the truth is that I don’t always soar quite so on purpose.
Half the time I’m caught in scary eddies in the sky that I’m not strong enough to break free from.
My flapping is futile.
So I just wait them out until the warm air passes and lets me go.

I’m not the expert that some make me out to be.
There’s a lot I don’t know – far more than what I do.
I’m not always easy to love – or even to like.
I’m not always good.
I’m sometimes full of myself.
I can be a jerk.
I’m fickle.
I sometimes refuse the love that comes my way.
Too often.
I’ve been known to self-sabotage.
I break my own heart.
There’s a cloud of grief that tends to follow me wherever I go.
I’m not always content – that’s an understatement.
I criticize in others the very things that I struggle with myself.
I’m not always grateful and when I am I don’t always say thank you
… though I feel good when I do.
I’m not always ok,
…. and that’s okay.

Some Native elders say “within every brave there are two dogs constantly at fight. One is the dog of malice, selfishness, and treachery; the other is the dog of loving-kindness, compassion, and community. The dog that wins is the dog that’s fed.”

There’s truth to that… and yet if we don’t honor the other dog within, if we don’t own and vent our shadows… even a well fed good dog can bite the mailman or snap the neck of the toddler.

I’ve heard why the caged bird sings … and thank God for that..
…but what I know is that eagles have prisons of our own and not all of our flights follow the official flight plans.
What I know is that when we fly, when we lift up off the ground or push off from a high cliff – what happens is a miracle.

– xx roger wolsey
(written and first posted on Facebook July 29, 2017)

Previous blogs I’ve written on the importance of pursuing healthy integration. – I’m still in process. Blessings to us all as we do our work.
1. Halloween and Me: a Time for Me and My Shadow
2. Pressure Pots

Rev. Roger Wolsey is an ordained United Methodist pastor who directs the Wesley Foundation at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and is author of Kissing Fish: christianity for people who don’t like christianity

Click here for the Kissing Fish Facebook page

Roger’s previous blogs

Uncategorized

blog

contemplative spirituality

progressive christianity

Previous Post

September 13, 2017

Rubber Hits the Road - Progressive Christianity & Racism.

Next Post

November 28, 2017 Theological Violence toward the Divine Feminine & Rape Culture.

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2024 March 2024 February 2024 December 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 October 2022 June 2022 December 2021 September 2021 August 2021 April 2021 March 2021 September 2020 August 2020 March 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 March 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 September 2017 May 2017 February 2017 January 2017 October 2016 August 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 November 2015 September 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 October 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 July 2013 April 2013 March 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A stone wall An incense altar A bronze door A curtain (veil)