A free bird soars through the sky, across the different hues of the sun, fighting the wind, rain and heat, flies high and high to claim the skies.
A caged bird, watches the free bird, confused about the surroundings and wondering why its wings are clipped and feet tied. Why am I imprisoned in the cage, devoid of the freedom to soar and sing high in the sky?
What is freedom?
As a child, we long to become an adult so we can go out whenever we want, buy whatever we want, eat anything we like. When we become an adult, we long for freedom to get married and live with whomever we want. When we marry, we long to be free from the boundaries of marriage. At each and every stage of our lives, we long for some form of freedom. Even if we are not prisoners in jail, we are prisoners of society, of relationships, of commitments and of responsibilities.
Just like a bird whose wings are clipped, humans are also forever living in a cage where they cannot fly. Once a bird had lost his ability to fly, not much else could be done in the way of mending him. Losing a wing is like losing a leg and the freedom of movement, of spirit.
We cannot fly to freedom – our wings are clipped, we cannot get up and run – our legs are tied, we cannot scream for help – our mouths are sewn…we are left on earth chained to the ground, without freedom, without hope.
What is the purpose in life?
Each one of us gets up in the morning and pretty much do the same thing over and over till we die. On and off, something different happens like changing jobs, getting married, getting kids, and then a new routine starts. For some people, routine lasts a lifetime and for some routine keeps changing often. Irrespective, most of us keep on living everyday without any freedom to break the chains of routine.
I don’t mean to go on an on about the philosophy of life, Google it and you will see 1000’s of articles on this topic. Life can have any purpose, to earn money, earn success or just live a hassle free life. Any purpose is a good purpose as long as you have the freedom to select it. Purpose of life shouldn’t be guided by what is expected from you, what the surrounding needs. Purpose of life should be something that you select on your own.
The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours – it is an amazing journey – and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins. – Bob Moawad
A caged bird forever lives in the hope to break free, even if it has long forgotten how to fly. Let us all learn from the bird and hope to break free from the invisible chains and learn to fly with freedom towards the true purpose of life that we set for ourselves.
