Eagles’ Feathers

Describe an item you were incredibly attached to in your youth. What became of it?

The feathers of an American Eagle are protected and can only be kept by Native Americans. An Osage Indian bequeathed a beautiful piece of eagle’s feathers somehow fastened together to form an an attractive apron of sorts that could be held up during a ceremony dance or worn as a costume codpiece or headband dress. It was sacred and beautiful. He gave it to me as I portrayed an Indian Chief based upon the legend story of the Lennie Lenape Delaware Indian tribe who brought a coming of age ceremony currently used in a secret ceremony for the Boy Scouts.

I kept the piece in my closet and it got stuck on something else moved in the dark and the feathers were ruffled and bent.

Years later, after dismissing an unreliable and unruly roommate who stole from me, I searched for the piece and it was gone. I felt horrible and heartbroken.

I lost something irreplaceable, which corresponded to my loss of sobriety. This photo of a Native American Icon below is all I have as a medium to reflect on my vigilance in pursuing awareness of how I live today.