An occasional bird gets trapped in my garage or home, especially in the spring when we leave doors and windows open.
sometimes a little finch will hop in through the windowsill
a hummingbird will spy something red and will hyper zoom into the open garage
The other day, there was a rather large bird trapped in our two-story garage.
it scared me to death
because it was flying in a desperate panic right toward my face
I opened the garage doors to let him out,
but he was up so high that he couldn't see the opening.
All that was visible to him at his height were the large, light filled windows
which only acted as deceivingly cruel barriers to freedom
I've watched a helpless number of chickadees and finches fly through the house
each smashing, beak-first into window after window determined to escape their startling, unwelcomed confines
There are times that I have been able to usher a bird out of the house,
trap her in a room with opened windows offering an escape plan gently throwing a blanket over one,
scooping her up and letting her free outdoors.
Other times, my help seemed more like cruelty as I waved broomsticks to shoo the bird away from another dizzying crash into a deceitful window pane
These trapped fledglings will become almost concussed,
little hearts beating out of their chests,
breathless to the point of no longer being able to fly
forced to land on the foyer chandelier
or the electrical cords hanging from the garage ceiling
Wanted or not, there's no choice left other than to rest, take a break regroup try again with renewed strength
Finding myself in similar trapped situations is not uncommon.
Being a prisoner to circumstances is a normal process of life for most any human being
stuck in a job we hate
blocked of our youthful creativity
lost purpose in life, career, home, family
devoid of any sense of individuality
What we do when we find ourselves barricaded behind boundaries we didn't set, but have complacently accepted
confused about windows and doors we thought were open...
only to realize, not only are they closed, but they are locked
and we are not privy to the hidden key
We try again though,
get a running start
nose-dive into the picture window
only to crash and burn for the 100th time
left pummeled, bruised, broken
reeling from dizzying attempts to break through,
just like the little bird
breathless
defeated
heart pounding
stuck on a fruitless perch
Our focus and energy has been trained on an illusion
the "way out" is not the "way out"
there's a better route
scales fall from our eyes
the door to discernment cracks
a window to freedom intersects our sightline
A helpmate comes into view...
Do we allow ourselves to be vulnerable?
admit a need?
expose a weakness?
Do we give permission to another human to come alongside us
help unpack our crisis?
Lay out our self-perceived weakness and self-imposed barriers?
it's scary
we give up some {or all} control
and
turn to a trusted friend or colleague,
the one we've been avoiding
the very one who's been aggressively yet compassionately
"shooing" us toward a raised pane
do we rear our ability to choose?
The trapped bird doesn't have this choice.
her inherent instinct says, "no" to the human
she will fly in circles,
trapped until she dies
or finds her own way out
be it by luck
or sheer terror of the broom-laden human
What we possess that the trapped animal does not,
is the ability to say "yes" to help.
pause
redirect
put pride aside
Welcome the good-intentioned who has our best interest at heart
Sometimes we need to be still and listen to the voices of reason, revelation and direction
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness
it's an opportunity for growth,
a step toward freedom
a flapping of wings in the right direction
Wonder how that bird feels the moment he's escaped,
and he can glide through the freedom of the sky?
Wonder how we ourselves would feel the moment we
stop hurling ourselves into window panes,
pry our eyes open,
clear our head
STOP
and listen to the message
set ourselves on the runway
toward a newly charted course
With flight plan in hand
destination in site
We're ready for change
We're learning to fly