High above the mountaintops, on the highest peak in the area, a mother golden eagle was caring for her three baby eaglets. While she is away on a hunt, one of her eaglets (Goldie) ventures too far out on the edge. Goldie (a born adventurer) loves adventure and loves to explore. Usually her mother is there to keep her safe. However, today, mom is collecting breakfast, and there is no one there to keep her safe.

The small eaglet walks out to the edge and looks out across the valley. She is intrigued with the beauty and splendor of the horizon. She cannot wait until the day that she can soar across these skies and discover the secrets they hold.

Unfortunately, she is so busy gazing across the horizon; she does not pay attention to where she is walking, and slips off the edge. Down she tumbles, bouncing off the treetops, and down through the branches. Most baby birds would have never survived this, but Goldie is a survivor. She finally lands on the ground, her breath knocked out of her and her wing broken.

As she lies there, struggling to catch her breath, she has lost her memory. Alone, wounded and lost, she struggles to get to her young feet. Pain surges through her body as she tries in vain to use her wings to steady herself.

After a couple of hours, a family of barnyard chickens comes down the path. The mother hen sees the young eaglet sitting dazed and confused on the path. The eaglet is about the same age as her chicks. At this point in their young lives, the eaglet does not look that different from her own chicks. The mother hen has compassion for the young eagle and allows the eagle to join in her brood. The young family continues to their barnyard home with one new member.

As the days turn to weeks, and weeks turn to months, the young family grows and matures. Over time, Goldie's wing heals, but she hardly notices. Her wings are rarely used, she has learned to live and act like those around her.

As the little ones get older, the differences in them become increasingly noticeable. Over time, the chicks start to make fun of the young eagle. They tease her because she looks different. They tease her because her talons are as efficient as their feet are to scratch for food. They tease her because her beak is much bigger than theirs, and is curved, making it harder for her to peck seeds off the ground. The older they get the greater the difference in how she looks from the rest of them. They convince her that she is "less than."

The other young chickens convince Goldie that her differences are "shortcomings" and "faults." She grows up feeling ashamed and embarrassed for who and what she is. She must be inferior, because everyone else looks alike except her.

Goldie grows into full maturity. In reality, she is the most beautiful bird around, but she cannot see her own beauty. She has accepted the ridicule and falsehoods of those around her, and she lives- day in and day out- believing that she is a freak and an inferior being to the other chickens in the barnyard.

A few times a day, the chickens observe objects flying overhead. These objects look a little like them, but they are too far up to see any details. The other chickens pay little attention, they are bored and disinterested; "who cares about something that far away?" they would reason.

However, Goldie is transfixed with them. Every time one flies overhead, the young golden eagle stops and gaze upward at them. Her curiosity was a constant topic of conversation with the chickens.

The golden eagle's fascination with the flying birds only causes further division and mocking from the chickens. "She is getting weirder by the day," they scoff at her.
As time passes, Goldie finds herself increasingly isolated from the others. Her size and strength make them uncomfortable. They avoid her when they can, and when they cannot, they demean and ridicule her. They try to convince her that she is less than, but this is merely a projection of their own insecurity and jealousy (which is often the case.)

One bright sunny day, Goldie was out in the field watching the birds fly overhead. As she is watching, an eagle lands on a limb just above Goldie. Goldie and the other eagle just sit and observe each other. Goldie has never seen another golden eagle; the other eagle (Gloria) has never seen an eagle act like this is. She walks wherever she goes, pecks seeds off the ground instead of live prey. Both birds sit and stare at the other one, neither one can believe what she is seeing.

Gloria floats down and lands next to Goldie. The two introduce themselves to each other and continue to watch each other. Finally, Gloria asks the question that is burning inside, "why are you down here, hopping around, scratching for bugs?" she asks.

"Well," Goldie reasons, "I am a chicken, that's what we do."

"You are NOT a chicken!" Gloria chirps back. "You are a golden eagle, just like me."

As the two sit and talk, Goldie begins to understand things for the first time. She understands why she could never fit in. She understands why she could never scratch and peck for seeds like the others she knew. She was not a freak, she was not inferior. She was a Golden Eagle.

Later that afternoon, the chickens see two large birds fly overhead. They hardly give notice, until they hear a familiar voice cry out in joy, "I'm Free!"

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