Once in a lifetime?

When I was 10 years old, before we moved to Tennessee, Mama and I drove under a rainbow. I'll never forget it. I can't remember what chore took us in that direction, but we drove out the length of West Hightower Trail from Social Circle to Jersey, and before we got to our destination, we watched a rainbow get closer, then pass over us. And then it was behind us.

Mama said at the time, "Remember this -- you were just under the rainbow. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event."

And she was right, I guess. It was the only time she had ever passed under a rainbow, and it's the only time I've ever done so.

Earlier this afternoon, when I went for my walk at the darlin' little underappreciated Philadelphia Park, I watched a baby hawk stand on the side of his nest and try flapping his wings while he hollered for his mama to help him or watch him.

I was going to call this post, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful," because I figure any birder worth half his weight in binoculars would envy me. But before I wrote it, I called my sister Amy. I have to. She's a much better birder than I am. She would really, really love to see this baby hawk and all the other birds I can't identify.

And it was Amy who marveled, "Just imagine all the people who will live out their entire lives without ever once seeing a hawk try out his wings for the first time."

Dang, I almost cried.

So I saw that today, and now I have to wonder if I'll ever see it again. Since I did not get pictures of the baby hawk, I can only hope that I will see it again. If not this year, then next.

Let's all hope for twice in a lifetime, OK? Thanks.