Photographer John E. Walker in Oshawa, July 25, 2025, at Parkwood Estate National Historic Site.
🦅 The Hawks: Symbols of a Journey
Four years ago, my life changed in an instant. I left the hospital using a walker and oxygen after surviving a major stroke. A little over a year later, I underwent open-heart surgery. It felt like the end, but it wasn’t. It was the beginning of a different kind of journey.
This image of the hawk, taken on the fourth anniversary of my stroke, carries more meaning than I can fully express. Red-tailed hawks are symbols of strength, clarity, and higher purpose. Seeing them, alert and unshaken, perched calmly above, reminded me of everything I had overcome and everything I was becoming.
I've been homeless. I’ve lost businesses. I’ve walked away from homes and even lost everything in a fire. Life has brought me to my knees more than once. But each time, I’ve rebuilt stronger, wiser, and more focused on what truly matters.
What I’ve learned through every hardship is that healing goes beyond the physical. Yes, I had to fight to regain my health. But just as important were love, compassion, and a renewed commitment to help others rise, too. That’s what LIFE - Love Is For Everyone means to me. It's not just a phrase. It’s a truth I’ve lived.
When doctors told me I couldn’t recover without expensive treatments I couldn’t afford, I had to adapt. I returned to the basics. I turned to nature. I began growing plants indoors, starting in my kitchen and a 4x4 ft space in the living room, selecting each for its healing and nutritional value. What I couldn’t buy, I began to grow. And what started as a necessity became a way of life.
🌱 Wellness in Action: Growing My Recovery Today, that journey has grown into something much larger. My website now includes:
Wellness Profiles – Highlighting the benefits of more than 65 plants I grow and use regularly for health and recovery.
Wellness in Action – Real-world examples of how I use these plants to stay strong, resilient, and well.
I’ve saved seeds. I’ve done the research. I’ve seen real results. And now, I share all of it freely because true wellness should never be limited to those who can afford it.
💚 A Path Forward for Everyone This isn’t just about recovery. It’s about transformation. The programs I created before the pandemic to support people in crisis have evolved into lasting wellness solutions. What started as a way to survive has become a way to thrive, not just for me, but for others too.
The hawks in that photo didn’t need permission to soar. They followed their instincts. They watched. And when the time was right, they rose above.
That’s what this journey has taught me: to trust nature, to trust myself, and to keep moving forward no matter the odds.
So I keep walking most days more than 5km. I keep growing. I keep sharing. Not just for me, but to offer hope to anyone who needs it. Because no matter how far you've fallen, there is always a path forward.
You are not alone. There is still beauty. There is still love. There is still hope.
Let the hawk be your guide. Let nature be your medicine. And let love for yourself, your community, and this planet be the reason you rise.
Because LIFE – Love Is For Everyone is not just a message. It’s a way forward. 🌿
You need to be a member of ILFJL Collective to add comments!
Have a suggestion or question about our efforts
You need to be a member of ILFJL Collective to add comments!
Comments are closed.
Comments
-
I truly appreciate the beauty of nature, and I enjoy your eye for capturing beautiful images. You don’t have to post every week; posting every second week or even monthly would be perfectly fine. With so many options to choose from, it takes time to fully appreciate each picture. There are 21 choices to go through, and I can select the images I want to save. The words "love," "compassion," and "community" resonate deeply with me, as they convey a sense of connection and empathy. I really enjoy this aspect of the network. Thanks for being awesome!
-
Wow, just beautiful pictures. Great eye my friend.
-
My favorite color purple and with the bees snd butterflies, just beautiful. Thank you for sharing this wonderful images.
-
Just beautiful John, Im was out today and it was so nice just to feel the sun again. How can I support you this week?
This reply was deleted.
Join The Conversations
A Hyperlocal Network Creating Benefits In Oshawa For The Benefit Of All!
You Will Only Find Content From Oshawa!
Love Is For Everyone!
Comments
🦅 The Hawks: A Symbol of Healing, Strength, and What’s Possible
LIFE – Love Is For Everyone
When I captured this image—two young red-tailed hawks resting in the deep green glow of the forest—it became more than a photograph. It became a message. A reflection of my journey. A reminder of what nature teaches us when we are willing to look deeper.
The colours in this image speak their own language: 💚 Vibrant forest greens — healing, renewal, and the energy of life returning.
🤎 Earth-brown feathers — grounding, stability, and resilience built through experience.
🦅 Golden talons and sharp eyes — clarity, courage, and readiness to rise above.
I took this photo on the fourth anniversary of my stroke—four years after leaving the hospital using a walker and oxygen… four years after being told my recovery depended on treatments I could never afford… four years before two surgeries, homelessness, loss, and rebuilding forced me to discover what true healing meant.
And yet, these hawks appeared: Calm.
Focused.
Unshaken.
A reflection of everything I had survived—and everything I was still becoming.
🌿 Healing Through Nature: What This Image Represents
When my body was weak, nature became my strength. When life stripped everything away, the earth became my teacher.
And when I couldn’t buy the food or treatments I needed to recover, I turned to growing my own.
In my kitchen. In a 4×4 ft space in the living room.
Plant by plant.
Seed by seed.
What I couldn’t afford, I learned to grow. What I learned to grow, I learned to use.
And what I learned to use, I now teach—freely—because wellness should never depend on wealth.
🌱 Wellness in Action: Learning What Plants Can Truly Do
What began as survival has grown into a full ecosystem:
✔ Wellness Profiles
Over 65 plants I grow year-round, with their nutritional and healing benefits.
✔ Wellness in Action
Real examples of how I use these plants daily for strength, recovery, lung health, inflammation, and energy.
✔ As We Grow With Purpose
The newest section—practical education through real examples of what these plants can be used for.
This is where I show not just the plant itself, but how to turn it into wellness:
balms
teas
tinctures
poultices
oils
nutritional uses
skin care
respiratory support
and more
These are skills anyone can learn, regardless of income or circumstance. And that is the very heart of this mission.
💚 A Path Forward for Everyone
Every shade of green in that photograph represents healing. Every shade of brown represents stability and wisdom.
And those hawks represent what happens when you trust your path—even when it’s uncertain.
I now walk more than 5 km most days. I grow daily.
I share daily.
Because healing is possible.
Because wellness belongs to everyone.
Because no one should suffer simply because they can’t afford help.
The programs I created before the pandemic have transformed into long-term community wellness solutions—driven by love, knowledge, and lived experience.
🌟 Let This Image Be a Reminder
No matter how far you’ve fallen, there is always a way forward.
Nature doesn’t give up. Hawks don’t ask permission to rise.
And you don’t need perfect conditions to begin healing.
Let the greens guide your recovery. Let the browns ground your spirit.
Let the hawks remind you of your strength.
Use what you can grow. Learn what nature offers.
And choose love—for yourself and your community—as the force that lifts you higher.
Because LIFE – Love Is For Everyone is more than a message. It is proof that healing, wellness, and transformation are possible for all of us.