This season, like so many others, Jackie and Shadow reminded us what it means to hope fiercely, love deeply, and fight for survival—no matter the storm. If you don’t know who Jackie and Shadow are, you are missing out. They are an eagle couple (eagles mate for life) that life in Big Bear Valley in California and they have a livecam you can watch 24/7. The past few years have been pretty heartbreaking; nest being blown away, chicks dying. But I come back year after year, especially since I lost the Haye’s Eagles a few years ago. But this year has been full of excitement, three eggs, three hatchings, and so many storms…

And maybe the hardest part of this season was not knowing. The watching. The waiting. The heartbreak.

When one of the chicks vanished during the storm, 90,000 viewers feared the worst. I had named the youngest one Rocky, because he fought. Because he was small and scrappy and never stopped trying. He was the underdog. And we all know how much I love an underdog.

I was sure it was him that had perished.

But nature is unpredictable—and sometimes, so is hope.

In a twist none of us expected, it now seems Rocky may have survived, and it was the elder sibling we lost instead. Friends of Big Bear Valley and Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam named them Misty, in honor of a loved friend they also lost too soon.

That bittersweet shift made the naming even more sacred.

Every name I submitted carries a piece of that journey: of loss, of fight, of mystery, of survival… of HOPE.

These are the names I submitted for consideration:

Aspen – For the trees that tremble but don’t fall. Resilient. Rooted.

Zephyr – A soft wind that carries you farther than you ever imagined.

Marin – Of the lake, of the calm, of the quiet strength below the surface.

Solace – For the comfort we seek in each other and in the wild.

Nova – A burst of light from darkness. A beginning born from an end.

Scout – Curious, brave, ready to meet the world with wide eyes.

Lyric – A song in the trees, in the wings, in the hush between heartbeats.

Mistral – A wind that comes down from the mountains, strong and rare.

Cael – Latin for sky or heaven. Light and boundless.

Echo – Because some things never truly leave us—they just return in a different form.

They didn’t ask for meanings. But I gave them anyway.

Because to name something is to love it.

And I love this nest and this experience more than I ever thought I could.

For a small donation you too can submit names. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders of Big Bear Valley will vote on the names for this year’s chicks. Even if you don’t want to submit names, you can always donate to such a great cause.

And if you’re wondering why I spent so much time and effort on something seemingly so small, it’s because in a world filled with so much hate, so much fear and discord, and so much uncertainty, these eagles and this experience are both a welcome reprieve—and a reminder of the good things in this world.

The things worth fighting for and caring about.

And the love we are all capable of.

Selah.