When A Parrot Finds His Courage
Learning To Spread Your Wings And Fly
There once was a lovely old lady, and upon her husband's passing, a close friend had given her two parrots so she would have companions to get her through each day. Excited about her new friends, the old lady enlisted the help of a man to design and carry out the construction of an aviary for her magnificent birds.
She had wanted them to feel as free as ever, and couldn't bear the thought of keeping them locked away in cages in her home, so she devised a plan to have an aviary built adjacent to the back of her home, where she could be outside with the birds, and giving them a place where they could be in a more natural habitat.
Upon completion of the aviary project, the old lady transferred the birds from their cages to their new home, a massive dome-shaped aviary containing trees, bushes, and beautiful flowers, with a paved winding walkway that led to a metal bench where the old lady could sit and watch the birds.
One bird seemed happy to be in his new home, flying from tree limb to tree limb, making sure to take in every little detail. The other bird rest on a low hanging branch and seemed almost scared to move. The woman approached the bird, wondering why he refused to fly around. She wondered if he just wasn't fond of his new home.
While the one bird continued to rest on a branch, the other bird seemed content. He was still flying around, resting every couple of seconds on a tree limb or near a bush, staring at each individual flower one at a time, seemingly trying to memorize everything surrounding him in his wonderful new home.
The woman thought there must be something wrong with the other bird. She decided she would call a ornithologist, someone who studies birds, and ask about the parrot's strange behavior. The bird enthusiast was a bit perplexed as well, as most birds enjoy aviaries and are much happier in this type of environment, especially after being caged for any length of time.
The ornithologist explained to the woman that the nature of a bird is to be in a more natural habitat, and that it was unusual that the bird was refusing to fly or even check out his surroundings. He suggested to the woman that she might have better luck contacting the previous owner of the parrots.
Frustrated, the old lady contacted the friend who had given her the birds and explained the situation. The friend said she had bought them at a local pet store, and as far as she knew, they had been caged most of their lives, and suggested to the old lady that she call a local farmer who was known to raise parrots. The old lady proceeded to make the call, for she knew the bird wasn't happy at all. She had to figure out why the bird all of the sudden was being unsocial and appeared fearful of its new home.
After explaining to the farmer the bird's bizarre and unexpected behavior in its new habitat, the farmer agreed to visit the old lady, explaining he may know the problem. That evening, the farmer arrived at the old lady's house, carrying only a pair of scissors. Perplexed, the woman let him in her house, ushering him toward the back door to the entrance of the aviary.
The aviary was breathtaking, and it appeared as though one of the parrot's was quite resolved in his new home. The other bird just sat, perched on a limb, in a lucious part of the aviary. The woman explained to the farmer that the bird hadn't moved from that position since she had set it there. She was insistent that the bird must be sick, or possibly even would rather be caged.
The farmer just smiled a half grin and proceeded to cut the branch with his scissors. Instinctively, the parrot began to fly. The woman was astonished as she watched the bird fly around the aviary, perching on one branch, and then another, and then making its way from bush to bush, and flower to flower.
Confused, the woman turned to the farmer, "I don't understand."
The farmer explained, "Well, you see, animals are much like humans. Sometimes, we have the ability to accomplish something, yet we lack the courage to strive for what we want. Not everyone has the determination to do what they already know they can do. Many times, we cling to things which are more comfortable because we are unsure of the outcome and oftentimes, we must encourage one another to take that leap of faith, to cut the branch that seems so familiar."
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In a world full of unknowns, sometimes taking that leap of faith is the best decision you could ever make for yourself. You will never know the outcome if you sit comfortable on the branch in which you are so familiar. Finding success means letting go of the things which scare you the most. You might find, once you fly, just how capable you were of flying in the first place.
Everyone needs a little encouragement from time to time. If you are the one who needs the encouragement today, take this as an opportunity to leap from the branch, learn to spread your wings and fly. If you are the farmer, take the time to visit the parrot. Cut the branch and show the bird its ability to fly; give it the courage to soar to new heights.
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