Free as a Bird.

“She decided to free herself, dance into the wind, and create a new language. And birds fluttered around her, writing “yes” in the sky.” —Monique Duval

As a mother of five it’s very easy to feel like most days I’m a caged bird, created to soar but imprisoned by life. Don’t get me wrong, I adore my kids, but I’ve never wanted to be a stay at home mom or have my identity wrapped so tightly in kids that it dies in the monkey pile. I do love an occasional monkey pile, but it’s freeing to escape from the bottom, catch a breath and still recognize who I am. I’m more than a mom. I’m more than the laundry, the diapers, the homework and everything else that goes with mommying. I get to remind myself of that ever so often; when I squeeze and squirm my way out of the pile to enjoy me. I force myself to walk away from the housework, chocolate milk cups, toy box, electronic meltdowns etc… and be free. It may be for minutes, hours or if I’m really lucky a few days; whatever the allotted time, it is worth finding myself again.

I usually welcome freedom with adventure. I might research things to do, places to go, must sees, or oddities near me. My husband and I will find some place to go even if it’s for a day. This picture was captured in one of those “we’re free as a bird” moments. “I had decided to free myself and dance in the wind…” My husband and I drove over to Lovers Key State Park and were free of responsibilities for a while. If you are ever in Florida and near Ft. Meyers I suggest paying this state park a visit. You can hike the trails through the mangroves, kayak the canals and possibly spot manatee, or sit on secluded beaches protected by wildlife. This is where we sat—basking in our freedom; My husband and I and this bird...

There we were All enjoying our “free as a bird” perspective. So,I thought I would capture this beautiful picture to take me back to this liberty whenever I wanted. Not long after pulling out my iPhone and snapping a picture of the bird sitting with us, it decided to remind us that our freedom was limited. It took flight, as if to boast in its unfamiliarity with captivity, and this domesticated mom was just honored to snap a picture of “freedom” in all its glory.

It was a powerful and grounding moment. I had decided to chase my freedom that day. “And birds fluttered around me, writing “yes” in the sky.” Now, when I look at the photo it takes me as close to real freedom as I’ll ever get. It gives me hope that the monkey pile is not forever. It encourages me to chase freedom whenever I can, and to continue sacrificing myself so that my little monkeys get to experience freedom of their own.

Editing freedom:

So, they say a picture is worth a thousand words...and I like my pictures to tell that moment's story. I wanted this picture to remind me of the words and feelings that this experience left me with. So, I sharpened the image, played with the contrast and extracted the color. The picture of Freedom was so clear that day. I could see it; it was sharpened and it’s boundaries defined. It was so close, but I was still not experiencing it in “full color”. My perspective of freedom was edited that day, and this copy would tell that story.