Yesterday’s Kentucky Derby gave us more than mint juleps, big hats, and tradition—it gave us a powerful, real-time lesson in resilience, belief, and what it means to defy the odds.

Because sometimes, the story doesn’t unfold the way we expect.

For the last couple of years, I have been watching, with interest, the story of two eagles, Jackie and Shadow, that reside in the Big Bear Valley area. Last year, one of the three eaglets didn’t make it. This year, Jackie laid two eggs which were later destroyed by other birds. Fortunately, Jackie laid two more eggs which ultimately hatched. The cameras have been capturing their moves for years.