I saw an amazing sight a few weeks ago as I drove along 50 Highway. Just to the west of Powell Gardens, I saw a bald eagle perched in a tree. I had never seen one in the wild before, but, as if to confirm that I really did see what I saw, I saw it again a few days later. A real bald eagle. Right on 50. Amazing
I grew up, you see, in the age of DDT. In case you don’t remember, in the 1960’s and 70’s, the then-popular pesticide DDT was killing off the bald eagle population. It thinned the eagle eggs, killing the eagle chicks. The national symbol was a greatly endangered species, and I grew up with little hope of ever seeing one in the wild.
The act of banning DDT, in addition to statutory protection from hunting, had a dramatic effect on the bald eagle. Slowly, the population began to recover. The bald eagle became one of the few species to fight their way off of the endangered species list. And so, a few weeks ago, I saw something I never thought I would see in my life. A bald eagle. In the wild. In Kingsville, Missouri.
Happy Earth Day. Never forget that we truly can make a difference in our planet. God has given us such a beautiful and abundant world to inhabit. Live in it as gently as possible, so that future generations can enjoy the same gift of God.
