Birds Should Not Be In Cages

We all carry stories around in our heads that were forged by fear, hurt, insecurities, and the like. We let these stories limit us, cage us. We say "I cannot do that because I always....", "I will fail at this because..." I say bullshit.

I used to have so many stories and rules. My life was governed by them.  I held the belief that I was broken and incapable of falling deeply in love for so long it felt like fact. I had rules about how much of the parts of myself I deemed weak that I would share with those I loved. I had stories in my head that I would never be capable of being fully present in sex because of past trauma. I could go on for pages, but you get the point.

I've decided to abandon every single one of my rules. I have put to rest all of my stories. I have embraced my limitlessness. I held the key to my own cage this entire time.

Yes, I have always been more passionate than the average person, but now that I've left my cage, my passion knows no limits. I can soar, and I do. I have always tried to suck the marrow out of life every single day, living it to the fullest, but now it's like a veil has been removed and nothing stands between me and all of the beauty in this world.

My life is intense and full of feeling so deep I can spend  the rest of my life plumbing the depths. Every day, even the most painful days, I find cause for joy. Try it, you will find that there is so much beauty you are missing because you are not paying attention.

Whether it is a warm hug from a beloved friend, a beautiful view of the mountain on my drive to work, or fully immersing myself in the experience of eating a mango, I find pleasure and wonder in these every day experiences. When I eat a cold slice of mango, smooth and firm, I lay it on my tongue and then press it against the roof of my mouth, when I pause, delaying the pleasure that is to come, reveling in the silky softness of the fruit. When I can stand it no more I press the mango against the roof of my mouth delighting in the sudden burst of sweet juice, wet and filling my mouth. Every time I take the time to do this, to be present, I smile a smile that comes from deep within. The smile that forces itself up through my guts, bringing out my deepest dimples. It is just a small pleasure, but why can't life be made of a string of small pleasures linked together?

Every day is a fucking gift. We do not know how many we have. Every day I choose to spend outside of the cage with my eyes wide open.