learning to fly

Fledgling Red Tail Hawk feather

Hello Adele,
Cycling on my way to work this morning I heard a high pitched screech from far up in a tree. I pulled off to see a red tailed hawk standing tall on an upper branch. But the call didn't come from her. The sound was coming from a young, awkward, fledgling hawk, moulting it's feathers and hopping from branch to branch after it's Mother. Each time it would have to flap and flutter just a little bit further to get to the safety and comfort of Mom. With each jump, a soft cloud of young feathers would drift lazily down as they were scattered from the growing hawk. It was shedding it's baby fluff and fuzz as it's new feathers and new skills advanced. 
Mama hawk was teaching her baby to fly by stretching it's limits just a little bit at a time. She would float off just far enough away to make it challenging, but not so far that the young one couldn't safely manage the leap. 
I know you did the same thing with many developing Artist-Educators and young teachers. Supporting them from just outside of their comfort zone to see them fly to new heights and inspire new classes of young learners. Some of their leaps may have been a bit awkward as the young hawk I saw today. But you were always there to help straighten their feathers and encourage them to try for the next branch just a bit higher in the tree. So many of them reached high up the tree and flew off into the sunshine because of your support.
My feathers are still falling off and drifting down as I flap to another branch for a cup of tea with you.
Thanks for that.
Hugs,
John

Fledgling Red Headed Artist Educator feather