A Stirring Encounter with the Natural World

I had a great, very simple, three or four minute experience yesterday while walking up a trail that leads to a high ridge about ten miles north of our town. Much of the trail has a sweeping view over a river valley to the ridges beyond it. The great experience consisted simply of watching a bald eagle swooping in various directions over the valley, flying past me, banking, then going into a long glide traveling a great distance with astonishing speed without moving its wings.