The James Wimberly Institute has chosen the eagle as its symbol for the Racial Barrier Breakers Award and there are several reasons for the decision to select this powerful and magnificent animal. The eagle embodies several of the characteristics that are admired in each of our awardees, and it is the perfect symbol for this award.

The bald eagle has been a major player in American history. Chosen by Congress as the nation’s symbol in 1782, this great raptor was one of the first species listed under the 1967 precursor to today’s Endangered Species Act, and that was just about the time that many of the nation’s racial barriers, that had been in place for decades, began to be broken.

Some principles of the eagle are reflected readily in our honorees and this establishes reasons for the eagle being the best symbol of the Racial Barrier Breakers Award. Eagles teach us that inside every person is the ability to fly to heights no one has ever believed.

Bible verses indicate that God compares Himself to an eagle and the study of this bird leads to principles that distinguish the eagle from every other bird — principles that are for human application.

Eagles Fly Alone

Eagles are the only birds that do not flock, simply because they fly at a high altitude other birds were not built for. For this reason, they do not mix with sparrows or other smaller birds like geese. They are therefore lonely birds and when other birds seek to take away their prey, the eagle simply breaks the barrier and fly higher in the sky where other birds cannot reach. Thus, the Wimberly Institute gets its inspiration for the Barrier Breakers Award from the eagle.

In the same way, when you decide to fulfill your vision and dream, the people who used to ‘run’ with you are no longer comfortable. The moment you decide to become a success, you suddenly find yourself very lonely.

If you want to rise above all other birds, you’ve got to be willing to fly alone. Do not join the eagle team if you still need the approval of others. The moment an eagle decides to fly at his altitude, the birds he meets are definitely not pigeons but other eagles. In order for you to maintain your spirit of progress and vision, you must meet with other eagles who will encourage and inspire you; if you want to be a success, don’t keep company with failures. Get used to people disagreeing with you, not approving your dream; your best friends turning their backs on you because a true leader and a true eagle knows that loneliness comes with success.

Eagles Have Strong Vision

It has been proven that an eagle has double sight but one vision. He sees five miles away in detail, making him the most focused bird in the animal kingdom. He is able to be aware of everything but only see one thing. When he sees a rodent, he swoops down like a bullet and doesn’t take his eyes off the target until he gets it. Thus, the Wimberly Institute has established the Visionary Award for the first time realizing that the need to recognize visionaries among us is paramount.

If you are going to be successful, you have to be aware of everything but only focus of only one thing; you can’t become a jack of all trades. Don’t quit until you strike; don’t allow things that are around you to distract you from that which is within you.

Eagles Prepare For The Future

An eagle invests time in the development of others.

An eagle is the only bird that builds its nest on a high cleft in the cold mountain, on the bare rock. He lays pieces of twigs, then cloth and rag, then thorns, then cotton and cloth, then straw, then cotton. When the nest is soft, warm and comfortable enough, the female comes and lays her eggs. When she’s tired, the male sits on the eggs guarding them so that there will be a future generation securing continuation of the specie.

Thus, the Wimberly Institute established the Vanguard Award to honor one who has been as the eagle guarding the future and keeping historical information to inform generations yet unborn. The eagle (vanguard) will be as successful as our ability to teach others to fly. It is the same thing that happens with us. We were born with dreams and visions, but we are afraid of failure, or losing friends when we become successful, or working too hard to fulfill our dreams, or that it will take us a lot of time to fulfill our dreams. Even if you are afraid to start, you were meant to fly.