When a baby bird has grown enough, he begins to yearn for freedom. His feathers have come in. He can flap his wings and feel the movement of the energy surrounding him. He craves to fly, but he’s never done it before. Does he trust his own wings to carry him in the breeze? When he builds up the strength and courage, he jumps.
The moment he jumps, he will simultaneously feel fear and freedom. He knows if he doesn’t take action and flap his wings, gravity will pull him back down to Mother Earth. Instinct kicks in and he takes action. Flap, flap, flapping as hard as he can to gain some ascent and reach the next branch of safety.
When he finally reaches safety, he feels elated and proud. He looks around with glee, did you see me? Did you see what I just did?! No one responds. The birds on nearby branches don’t make a peep. They’ve been flying for a long time, it’s come second nature to them. The animals on the ground stare in silence. For they know the birds fly, that’s nothing new.
But the little bird, still filled with joy from his first flight, begins to feel sad. Did no one see me? Does no one care that I just flew for the very first time?
You see, for the little bird, he had accomplished his first biggest hurdle in life. Taking that leap of faith and trusting in himself. Deep down he knows what he did was magical. He found the confidence from deep within to take that first step. And he should feel proud. He should feel amazing, he conquered his fear!
That doesn’t mean everyone else will see through the same lenses. For all the birds, all the animals, all the humans know birds fly. It’s no big deal to them. They are caught up in their own story, aiming for their own achievements and surviving in a world filled with others doing the same thing. But that little bird, he remains in his power and knows he did something great. He escaped the prison of the nest, he is ready to follow the winds and live his life in any which way he so chooses.
No matter how old you are, no matter how much you’ve accomplished up until this point, stand in your power when you overcome a fear. You don’t need the approval of others. You don’t need to be praised, and you don’t need to take silence personally.
When you accomplish something your heart desires, you should be proud. You should be filled with joy. Even if others have already been where you are and think it’s no big deal. You overcame an obstacle, and that’s something to celebrate. You are amazing no matter where you are in life. The ones that will see you and send you encouragement are the ones you hold close to your heart.
And someday, the ones who didn’t notice you at first, will be the ones looking up to you in awe when you’ve mastered your flight. Hold them close to your heart too, for they wish they could fly like you!
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