I am a caged bird.

My home is less than 5 cubic feet of space surrounded by gilded bars in the balcony of my master’s home. I am fed daily with water and my favorite seeds, and I get to watch the open sky – but I am still a caged bird ☹

I once flew in the beautiful skies over the woods; now I can only see other free birds glide joyously in the open skies. One day I was trapped in a net, and I found myself in a cage. My wings have stayed folded ever since. If I could, I would have broken my cage bars and flown away out into the open.

I am saddened when I look around at my master’s species (they call themselves HUMANS). They, like me, are born free and have a will of their own, and nothing can stop them from going wherever they want to go and doing whatever they want to do. The similarity stops there. Many of them, by choice or otherwise, are actually living inside invisible cages. Physical bars stop me. What keeps some of them caged is either imagined or restrictive bars, imposed by strong controlling parent figuresin their formative years. They imprison themselves by choice, in spite of having the freedom to follow whatever path they may choose.

I will let my master continue with his comments…..

My soapbox comments:

In the animal world, the newborn has innate skills, and they very quickly adjust and learn to survive and thrive on their own. They are born free, and they live free.

In the human world, a newborn is very vulnerable and cannot survive if left alone. Our species needs to be protected, nurtured and taught basic skills till they can navigate on their own. Unfortunately, during the early formative years, boundaries (gilded cage bars) are identified, and directions are set in stone as to the future path of the child. Some of these bars may blur and disappear, as the kids-teens-adult evolution progresses, and the young adult flies out into the open world. They are now free.

There are still sizable groups who get comfortable in their cocoons and refuse to take risks and chart their own future. Clearly, a lot of us, unknowingly, are living in imaginary cages.

I do want to recognize that, unfortunately, there are a significant number of us – due to medical/physiological reasons – who reside in a very dark place, living our lives in our own loneliness. They do not have a choice to easily free themselves from their cages, and do need our empathy, kindness, and unconditional support.

Humans are at the pinnacle of evolved living creatures. Re-assess yourself and your life. Are you living like the caged bird, can be free, and want to be free? If YES, it is only YOU who can free yourself. Once you do, you will leave the darkness behind and find yourself in the bright light of the wonderful world we live in.😊