I sat on my back step the other morning, watching a flock of crows. It was a warm morning, light rain falling with a capricious breeze. The crows were aloft over a tall pine, diving and dodging and filling the air with their incessant caws.
This caused me to think about how grand it must be to live life free of restraint. We talk so much about freedom in this country, but the larger question is, are we truly free?
A few years ago while on a mother/daughter trip in the Bahamas, our group had the good fortune of swimming with a mother dolphin and her adolescent in the wild. Our encounter went on for several hours; exhausted yet exhilarated, we reluctantly exited the water. I cannot help but think now how this experience was, in every sense, the embodiment of being free.
Additionally, I feel that we should all be charitable. But I am also of the opinion that we should be thoughtful about where and who we help. I believe that those who choose to accept assistance in the absence of real need, are inherently bound by expectations and dependence, and therefore, never truly free.
Shouldn’t we all be able to go forth in the coats our mothers gave us without hindrance? Whether it is shiny black wings, fins, or skin of various colors, the answer is, quite simply, yes.
But the truth is, we are just not very good at it. And I realize now that as Americans, we need to do a much better job at being free.
Crows can be offensively vocal, they may stealthily taunt and challenge one another, but not one is ever hurt or left behind. They remain together, strong, united in their challenges – always able to rise on the wind.
Just think of the strides we as Americans could make, if more of us chose to emulate their strength, their sense of community and most importantly, their infinite competence at being free.
Kelly Dwight
Hadley