The most amazing lesson in aerodynamics I ever had was the day I climbed a thermal in a glider at the same time as an eagle. I witnessed, close up, effortlessness and lightness combined with strength, precision and determination. — Norman Foster
In this chapter, two friends who had not seen each other in years joined a wildlife rescue team to determine security of bald eagle fledglings in a vast natural recreation area. After the work was complete they went camping as a reward. What happened that evening in the rugged wilderness taught as much about nature, as it did about strength, precision and determination, in a man named Peter Churchfield. Who made a fortune while all those around him were losing theirs. Continuing the conversation…
During a summer stay on Long Island, I received the call from my friend Peter Churchfield. He asked me to join his wildlife rescue team in a vast natural recreation area that includes the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania and a large ridge of the Appalachian Mountains. Our mission was to determine the security of a nesting area for two bald eagle fledglings that were capable of flight but possibly still ground and nest dependent—and vulnerable.
When a possible poaching incident was reported, Peter’s team was mobilized to hike in, observe, photograph, and record activity around the nesting area over a three-day period and report back to the Park Service.
I had known Peter over the span of his career in sales. We’d met in an elevator in my office building when I overheard him talking about working as a wildlife rescue volunteer. Intrigued, I got out on the same floor as he did and asked for more information. He was willing to oblige—and our friendship and my volunteerism began.
What I knew about Peter was that he had strong beliefs and sometimes struggled with inflexibility, but he never ran away from a problem. Instead, he forged bad breaks into opportunities by finding ways to improve his life. Somehow, though, he always seemed to be last in line when it came to getting a good break—unless it was a broken bone from sports—but he made the hard decisions nonetheless and accepted ownership of all consequences.
We had not seen each other in years, and after our work with the eagles was complete, we went camping as a reward after the other volunteers were gone. What happened that evening in the wild taught me much more about nature—in all humans and in Peter, who had made a fortune and was able to keep it while all those around him were losing theirs.
Read the complete success story in the book, The Quiet Rich: Ordinary People Reawakening an American Dream.
Kevin J. Palmer, Author
The Quiet Rich
