Dr. Ed Iannuccilli: Lessons From the Hawk and the Dove

Dr. Ed Iannuccilli: Lessons From the Hawk and the Dove

When you’re confined to quarters, one form of exercise is to make house rounds from window to window, hoping for a trace of excitement, something more than the circumventing walkers, whizzing bikers, and bounding dogs. 

Outside our breakfast room window is our bird feeder and a birdbath, sources of enjoyment and solace. The yard is replete with cavorting cardinals, gorgeous goldfinches, capering chickadees, working woodpeckers, delightful doves, and trolling squirrels. On a day last week, a surprise hit us.

As we were gazing with coffees in hand, a rufous-colored, medium-sized Cooper’s hawk burst from the sky above and pounced on an unsuspecting victim just below us. We have seen these hawks often, usually at a distance in the tree in the next yard, but never so close. 

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Because she had spread her wings to hide the catch, we were not immediately aware of what it was. As she moved warily, she lifted her wing and, there, we saw a lifeless dove, likely killed with the drop. The hawk jockeyed to fix the prey in her talons. As she lifted her wing, another hawk, a male perhaps, came swooping in with a darting gesture toward the possessor. He speared the prey, but was unable to hold. The captor covered and repositioned her captive and flew off, dove in claws.

We were as silent as a held breath when a parent tells you not to move.  Then we chatted about the wonder of nature we had just witnessed, reflecting upon whether there was a lesson in what we saw; perhaps a metaphor of today’s pandemic?

Captor, captive, survivor, loser. Who wins during this pandemic? Who loses? What have we learned? Have we been as efficient as that hawk? Or as complacent as the dove? Who would guess, by the way, she sauntered about pecking treats from the ground and not paying attention just before, that death would befall this beautiful creature?

We, unlike the dove, must pay attention, not be complacent, follow directions, watch, and be wary. We, like the hawk, must be ready to pounce on whatever it takes to overcome the virus. Who wins? Well, for now the first attacker, coronavirus. Like the hawk, this virus came in fast and low, like a phantom appearing out of thin air.

The powerlessness of being unprepared can be staggering. We cannot let it happen again. We cannot be the dove, vanquished with little fight. We must be as efficient as the hawk. Efficiency? It’s listening to experts and following directions. It’s wandering from window to window for now. It’s changing our health care system so that all are better prepared for later.

I am in the house and, though passive while following the recommendations of experts, I am more like a hawk, ready to pounce on what will keep me safe. Unlike that dove, I’m paying attention. On the days to come, we must be strong and efficient.

Emerge stronger. Be the hawk.

Dr. Ed Iannuccilli is a retired gastroenterologist, is former Chairman of the Board at Rhode Island Hospital, a Clinical Professor Emeritus at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University, long time academic and entrepreneur.

As the author of three popular memoirs, “Growing up Italian; Grandfather’s Fig Tree and Other Stories”, “What Ever Happened to Sunday Dinner” and “My Story Continues: From Neighborhood to Junior High.”  Learn more here.