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A long time ago, an eagle's egg from high atop a mountain rolled down the mountain and on to a nearby farm. Though the egg was larger than the chickens' eggs, the farmer, thinking nothing of it, placed the egg in the hen house with the other eggs. One day several of the eggs began to hatch, including the larger one. All of the newly born chicks chirped for food. As the hens fed the chicks, the larger one though different, was fed just the same. As years went by, all of the young chicks were now approaching adolescence.
For several years, as they grew older they noticed the eagles flying overhead. This one particular day, one of the flying eagle's also noticed them below but it was one in particular that caught his attention.
The eagle flew to the ground. Fearing being eaten, the chickens ran for cover. Though they ran, the eagle that had grown up with them remained still. In moments, the eagle who had just been in the sky was now standing face to face with the youngster.
"Wow! I wish I could fly as you do."
"What do you mean? Have you been injured?"
"No, I am a chicken and we can't fly."
The older eagle looked on, puzzled.
"You are no chicken."
"Yes I am. This has been my place of birth and I have been here always."
"You may have been born here, but you are not stuck here. You are an eagle who believes he is a chicken and I tell you today that if you change what you believe, then you will fly as high and as fast as I can."
"How do I change what I believe?"
"Close your eyes, see yourself flying high above the ground. See yourself as free from the confines of gravity. When you can see it as clearly with your eyes open as you do with them closed, you will be free to fly!"
Everyday for a month the young eagle closed his eyes and saw himself flying but once he opened his eyes he remembered he was a chicken.
One day the farmer walked by and asked the daydreaming eagle why he was concentrating so hard.
"I was told by an eagle that I too am an eagle and not a chicken and so I am trying to believe I can fly."
"Why do you believe you are a chicken?"
"This has been the only life I have ever known. Why would I think otherwise?"
"When I first found your egg, I must admit I thought it was one of the chicken's eggs that had rolled out of the coup but once you were hatched, I could clearly see that you were an eagle, as did all of the other animals on the farm. None of us ever took the time, for various reasons, to tell you were an eagle though. So if flying is what you want, then let go of what you think you are and embrace what you know you are!"
With those words, the eagle closed his eyes and saw the Earth drop below him. . . once he opened his eyes, wings waving, he was flying!
Each of us has an inner knowing that we are free, but out of fear and complacency, we settle to be something and someone we are not. We become trapped somewhere we don't have to be, doing things we are not meant to do.
P.S. That eagle, now older and more skilled, went back to the farm several years later and taught some of the chickens and other animals (those that would listen) how to be free - How to defy gravity!
He taught them that no matter what you are, where you are, or who you are - You can be free. Believe you can fly and the sky becomes your playground!
B.E.L.I.E.V.E. was created in 2005 by Raymont L. Anderson. B.E.L.I.E.V.E. is the third performance company founded by Ray Anderson. The first company founded in 1993 "S.T.A.R.S." was in Pittsburgh PA. and ceased being active when Dr. Anderson moved to Richmond VA for Graduate school. The second was founded in 2001 in Richmond VA and was also named "S.T.A.R.S." and ceased being active in 2008 due to low membership enrollment. Ray created this new company after resigning from S.T.A.R.S. and to reflect his ever growing drive for excellence. The new company reflects his new sense of purpose, his raison d'être (reason for being), his creative passion and vision, and his desire to transform the world through the arts.
History
Due to a variety of events, Dr. Anderson has resigned from the company to focus on the Dual PhD studies, his new job as a high school teacher where he teaches ASL, and doing research and working on starting a school for holistic and metaphysical studies as well as a church and an art gallery among other things (smile). Dr. Anderson definitely stays busy using the gifts God has sparked within him.
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