As a young man, there’s few moments, that you remember as well as when you are given your first keys.

…oh the sense of freedom…

It was my birthday that morning

but honestly I wasn’t really expecting anything

so, for one of the few times in my life, I was speechless as the keys to a red honda civic were handed over,

I soon set off

not heading anywhere, just driving

driving for the sake of driving

it’s something that’s never left me to this day,

I love just driving for the joy of driving

it’s my relaxing space…

I digress,

I headed out behind the airport

the open road ahead…

long straights and sweeping bends on a long summers day,

and as I came around a corner, he was sitting in the middle of the road

Kahu – the Harrier Hawk

I slowed, he looked up from its prey – our eyes connected

His wings spread

he took flight, and turned down the road ahead of me

and as my car slid along the road underneath him

he dropped from the sky right above me

hi wings spread as he hit the up-draft from the bonnet

and he hung

feet in front of my steering wheel

hovering motionless in front of me at 25kph

the motor purring over,

the updraft of my sparkling red roller filling his wings and holding him there,

connected

seconds past, it seemed like forever

then slowly, his head lifted

his wings turned in the wind

and he just rose upwards, up over the roof and into the blue

leaving just me and the road…

I had no camera

nor would I have been able to capture the moment

but it is vivid in my mind.

and to this day, I’ll watch them fly for hours…

And I can feel that sense of freedom come flooding back.