| Today I noticed that we got a bigger cage for the birds at work, and I was happy for the birds. Happy for the birds, because they had over twice the amount of space that they did before, I mean geez, that’s great. It was even a really fancy looking cage, real high class like. I didn’t look at it properly, I was in a hurry, just rushed by, But I thought it was nice. It took me five whole steps, five whole steps past that thought before I realized there was something terribly wrong with my perception. The birds in our cage, parakeets I think, I’m not sure, maybe just parrots, either way, God painted them with bright colors to match their home, which although I may be unaware of “home’s” actual location, I’m sure it’s some place tropical. I guess the women around here wear enough floral print it could possibly be mistaken. But I’m hoping the birds are a bit smarter than that. I know they are. They know. They can feel the difference, the lack, the shiny gold bars. They see the card games, the petty spats, the stares. And when ladies crinkle their precrinkled faces up into the cage squawking out words in hopes of a comical reflection, they know they were created for canopy. For sky, for berries and tree nuts, for three inches of rain a day, for leaves as large as my bedroom window, for competition with toucans, for listening to that crazy loud and obnoxious orangutan call on any branch of any tree they had a whim to perch on. They were created to possess everything their hearts desired. And they currently have about five extra square feet then they did before. how can we accept this, how can we view this as an improvement when, mathematically speaking, they are surviving within less than .5% of their intended habitat, of their potential. It’s not even comparable, and yet we settle, we make that choice for them. Sucks to be birds says you. But what about us? Are we free? Do you think you’re free? Surely we’re not in a cage- but are we? Life is great you say, fine, wonderful even. You’ve already got all you want, you wake up, coffee, car, job, lunch break thank God, more job, more coffee, home, dinner, tv, laundry, give him/her a call to talk about various crazy drivers and other conundrums of life, mindlessly exhaust yourself till you fall asleep, thinking about today, what tomorrow will bring at work. You’re saving up for a vacation, a car, to go back to school, a new mp3 player, that sweet new cell, a laptop. You just got a raise, a bonus, a promotion, won the lottery, just lost five pounds on a new diet –congratulations-, got a new boyfriend – he’s a nice guy-, got that pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing, that fill-in-this-blank: ________ that you’ve just been itching all over, dying, screaming, wishing, pining, hoping, and working at least five days a week to get. Or have you even ever wanted something that badly? Do you know what it is to be soaked in discontent, are you familiar with the sensation of longing? Diving into that empty space that fills you, searching it out, and coming out utterly bare, unable to fathom the deep blank, not knowing exactly what you had hoped for, but knowing that you’d hoped for something, and that was exactly what you didn’t get because you came up with nothing. And you’re not even out of it yet. Have you ever wanted more? Oh man, -nevermind- don’t think about it, that’s depressing. Try to focus on something more positive, like plans for the future. You’re already on your way, moved out of that old run down place. Just got that new apartment, Brand new cage. |
