My Friend Faith

Faith is a beautiful Red Tailed Hawk. Her eyes are keen and sharp. Her feathers lay perfectly against her streamlined body and her talons are strong and mighty. Beauty is her middle name and as she soars through the sky with an unmatched gracefulness, not a waving blade of grass misses her gaze.  

But she’s lonely. 

Every morning Faith rests comfortably on the highest branch of an old mesquite tree, and watches the sunrise. 

Nan loves to watch the sunrise too. She often wakes up early just so she can sit on the porch where she has a perfect view to watch her favorite show-Sunrise. 

It’s never the same, the sunrise. Some days it’s fiery red and other days it’s full of soft pink and purples. Sometimes it seems that the sky is on fire with all the oranges and yellows blinding her eyes with a bright and happy blast of light. 

Most mornings Faith is quiet during the sunrise, but every now and then she cannot contain her awe and she yells out “WOW!” with an ear piercing screech. 

Nan replies, “Yes! I agree Faith, that is one amazing sunrise.” 

Nan and Faith share their mornings from a distance, but Nan can hardly get enough of Faith’s beauty. She feels badly for Faith because she spends so much of her time alone. 

One day, Nan was out at the hay barn and she heard a commotion. Turning around, she looked at Faith’s perch and saw what the commotion was about. 

The old mesquite tree was full of dove. Every branch was loaded with them as they rested there and preened. Faith was soaring nearby and decided to join them. Just as she was landing the dove scattered from their rest on the old mesquite tree. 

Faith looked sad as she softly cried out, “Wait, I just wanted to sit with you.” 

Nan had soft pains in her heart for Faith. She understood how Faith must have felt. 

“I’m sorry Faith. I wish I could be your friend. You give me so much joy and comfort from your perch and fill the air with such beauty when you fly. I love to watch you soar through the sky. I only wish you knew.” 

Nan remembers trying to make new friends. It isn’t a fond memory because making new friends is hard. 

The next morning Nan decided to make an effort to let Faith know how she felt about her. 

She got out of bed extra early and prayed that Faith would be in her usual spot. She also asked God to allow her an opportunity to talk to Faith and for Faith to be open to her approaching her. 

Excited about the possibility of having a new friend, Nan went outside before the sun even started lighting up the horizon and got as close as she could to the old mesquite tree. And she waited.

Soon, she could see a dark shadow moving across the sky as the light had just begun to push out the darkness. 

It was Faith! Ever faithful, she came to her post. 

Nan could hardly contain her joy. Faith was even more beautiful than she thought. 

Quietly, Nan called out to her, “Faith, I want you to know how much I enjoy spending the morning with you.”

Faith pretended not to hear her, but Nan saw a slight turn of Faith’s head. 

“You are so lovely up high on your perch. Isn’t today’s sunrise breathtaking?” 

Faith turned back toward the horizon.

“Thank you for being a faithful friend to me. Sharing the sunrise with you makes it even more special. You are important to me.”

Nan turned and walked back toward her own perch, the comfy rocking chair on her porch.

Faith turned and watched her go and promised to join her again tomorrow.