Eagles and Crows

Dear Students,

Have you ever heard the story about the crows and the eagles?  I didn’t up until this week and I want to share it with you.

So, a crow is the only bird brave enough to attack an eagle. It hops on the eagle's back and it just starts pecking annoyingly at the eagle's neck. But the eagle doesn’t do anything, it doesn’t even fight back.  It just chills while the crow continues pecking and pecking and pecking.  However, the one thing the eagle does do is that it keeps flying higher, it keeps elevating and ascending.  It flies so high that at a certain point the crow gasps for air, ultimately suffocates and falls off, because the crow cannot handle a certain elevation.

What I take from this is: let the crows peck, I know it’s annoying.  Let them peck, and let them talk nonsense, let them try to fill your head with negative thoughts. You don’t need to respond, you don’t need to retaliate, all you have to do is keep elevating, keep ascending, keep rising, because they can’t and will never reach the heights that you can.

Whether the crows are real people around you, or your own thoughts you have about failing, I want you to know that you are more resilient than you know.  Stay focused and keep rising.

I am not one for celebrating holidays, and Thanksgiving is no exception.  But I was raised with the understanding that any and every day is a good day to give thanks. I want to thank you for choosing York College.  Thank you for all that you pour into all of us.  We are grateful to have the opportunity to not only help you, but to watch you rise.

P.S. If the “pecking” is too much and you need someone to talk to you can always visit the Counseling Center. The center provides support in such areas as crisis assistance, academic difficulties, relationship issues, family struggles, or difficulties adjusting to college life.  All services are FREE of charge for enrolled students. 

Claudia Schrader, EdD
President
York College
The City University of New York 
94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd
Jamaica, NY 11451
(718) 262-2350
cschrader@york.cuny.edu