Bravery
"If I will ever ask for freedom, would you give it to me? Would you open this cage and wait until I can finally come out. If I were to leave and promise not to return forever, would you allow me?"
The small bird uttered in its cage as it noisily flew around, but nobody can hear him, from the view of all the people around him he is just a bird, another animal, a pet that needs food to live. But he wanted freedom; he is seeking freedom and even begging for it. But it wasn't easy you see, this bird has depended all its life from the alms of its master, and though he wanted freedom, he cannot deny the fact that he was scared with what he will face on the outside world.
He was scared that life will not be kind to him, not as kind as his masters, and so he didn't even try to escape. He just continued his life inside that cage, though sometimes when he looked outside the window, he dreamt of flying away, of feeling the wind in his face. He wanted the life that every bird wanted, to live on his own, to have his own friends, to travel, to see the world in a different perspective.
But one day when his master went out for school and left his daily ration of food in a small cup attached to the door of his cage, he unconsciously left the door of the cage slightly open, and he was not able to close it until he left for school. And so this little yellow canary was tempted, it was the freedom he's always asking for. He flew close to the door of the cage quietly, careful not to make any noise that would bother anyone inside the room. Slowly but surely he said to himself, Close, Closer...Closer a little more and he's finally in front of the door of the cage. But when he was about to escape, a cold damp of wind touched his body, that made him wonder if he can really leave.
The cold reality hit him, Outside there is no food, you need to find your own, there is no shelter, you need to build your own on top of the highest trees, and you have to fly, and the little canary was scared because it's been awhile since it experienced flying for a long period of time. The little bird was taken aback, indeed it was beautiful there, but can he make it? Can he exchange everything that he has for a little caprice called freedom?
And in his moment of despair he saw an old tree in front of the window where his cage was hanging, it was very old and it only has a leaf left, it was almost withered. The tree had been with the family for quite some time too. He remembered how the tree became the shelter for other birds in summer or in winter, how it became the temporary home for other animals. How fun and meaningful its life was! As the little bird looked at the bark of the tree, it was full of many marks, man made marks, animal prints and others and he realized that it was the same tree that the Mother of the boy was telling him. It was the tree where their love bloomed and where she hid her husband's letters, inside a box. The tree became the witness of everything that happened to the family. It has been standing there despite many storms, torrid heat of sunlight, or unbearable blizzards in winter.
"If the tree was able to surpass it all, if the tree can live the life that it always wanted, the life that he is destined to have, why can't I?" The bird thought.
"Maybe it will be hard for me but on my way I may meet friends, and they will give me strength and hope that will help me to survive. I may find that something that will make me complete." cried the bird.
And if I will face problems in life, for an instance a failure if I will feel the coldness of the wind, or get tired or hungry, or be homeless this will make me tough and brave, because I did not let this fear rule over me, because I was able to overcome everything and achieve what I always wanted. I will only live once, and therefore, I shall live to the fullest.
So the little bird slowly made its way out, and though it was scary, he slowly flap his wings and he made it outside the blue sky and the clouds welcomed him, and the wind gave him the best ride. As the bird made its way outside the window, the last leaf of the tree fell.
3:47am
Plain Jane
