Last update: May 27, 2016
A bird is a creature born to be free, but if it sees the world only from the bars of a cage, its essence will be limited to a small part. It is as if its wings were cut off and, with them, one of its main characteristics: the ability to fly. The title of this article is taken from a quote by Alejandro Jodorowsky and will help us to analyze the fact that such a thing can happen to people.
On a metaphorical level, living in a cage like birds does not allow us to have a broader perspective than what we might feel. There are people who are satisfied with what they have, which makes them feel safe and do not give themselves permission to explore other areas or to have new experiences.
All of this would not be so bad if it only affected that bird and if it were a conscious choice: the problem arises when the bird born in a cage believes that others are wrong, when they tell it they want to fly.
"The nightingale refuses to nest in a cage, lest slavery be the fate of his chicks."
-Kahlil Gibran-
The bird that stays in the cage even when the door is open
Just like birds, we humans are also born with the ability to direct our steps towards what we desire, so free and autonomous. However, for a variety of reasons, such as education or the influence of society, there are people who, upon reaching a certain age, become bogged down in an area known as a "comfort zone", and are unable to not even get out of it when others invite them to do so.
The comfort zone has to do with everything that is familiar to them and that makes them feel protected, where the routine is already established and acts for them. In fact, they are people who find it very hard to change their habits, their behaviors and the values ​​they have acquired, and who feel uncomfortable when they meet people who are different from them.
Since we are free, no bird is obliged to leave the cage and take flight, but neither is obliged to stay there. Tolerance should lead us to understand that there are different styles of life, only in this way can we relate to others in a positive way.
“Man is free, he must be free.
Her first virtue, her great beauty, her great love, is freedom. "
-Juan Ramon Jimenez-
Two blindfolded eyes see more than a blind mind
One of the most well-known characters worldwide, Nelson Mandela, believed in freedom of the mind above all: a blindfolded pair can always take off what prevents them from seeing, but for a blind mind it will be much more complicated.
People who are unable to live in cages often feel judged by less flexible minds. "You're crazy", "You don't behave like this", "What you do is not good", "What will they say about you?" Are phrases that those who have the courage to fly must often hear.
Those who live inside a cage will never understand that the world is full of nuances and possibilities. C.hi doesn't know she has wings, nails her dreams to the ground and forces herself to live inside a fence. Those who do not wonder if she will be able to fly often judge who decides to fly and criticize their dreams.
You have to ignite the mind, not fill it
If a bird has wings to fly, the means by which man can do so is the mind. Nevertheless, the mind needs to be always on, to be fed with seeds to help it think, and not filled with prepackaged ideas.
There are people who live like a bird born in a cage, who are afraid to jump when they open the door: they don't judge their companions who fly, they just don't have the courage to do it too. In this case, the fear is justified, and the only thing needed is a little bit of courage. As the philosopher Kant said, know aude: have the courage to know, know, use your reason to get it.
"Freedom is scary when you are no longer used to using it."
-Robert Schuman-
