Wednesday, February 7, 2018

The Caged Bird



The Caged Bird
     More often than not, if one thinks about it, there is more to any story. The story of the caged bird is a simple little story, but tell it to a child and you'll see what I mean. Put yourself in the place of the little bird yourself and translate the metaphor into your environment and circumstances and your story will be obviously be more complex.
     While there is no judgment in the story about what was the right thing for the little bird to do, we are challenged to examine our own response to the risk of freedom and security. Only you can decide how long to weigh your options and what is the right response to any challenge. The story doesn't judge the little bird. It would never feel the wind in its wings or the sun on its back but neither would it feel the bitter cold or fear predators.
     As I have said, I would have heard this story differently when I was eighteen or when I was forty than I hear it now. I don't know that I have any more answers now than I did then, but I have come to believe that the more I am in harmony with myself, the people around me, and the world in which I live, the more precious freedom is and the more I am willing to risk.
     The little bird in a cage; something to think about.