Flying

Birds are amazing creatures to me. Almost 5 years ago I went into a pet store on a whim. This was a really neat pet store with animals of all kind for such a small town store. As I entered the back of the store and around the corner there was a big green bird. I've never been a terribly huge fan of birds but I've always liked them and enjoyed watching them but this bird caught me off guard and I was amazed. He could talk and say phrases such as 'Hey look there's a bird'. I can only imagine how many times he would hear that in a day. I really liked the bird but never in my life thought I would come to buy such a creature. I bought this bird for someone else ya see but its just as much mine as it is his. It was his dream to own such a bird and so I had to give in and get it for him. Never owning a bird before I had to read up and shop around for this bird as I wanted to be a great pet owner. I immediately subscribed to a bird magazine and started shopping around in other pet stores and places online and going to bird shows. I had ordered a beautiful custom cage for this bird and wanted to do everything in my power to provide the best for him.

Some pet owners have their birds wings clipped so they can't fly off. I had this done as well. I would take the bird outside and sit and chat with my neighbors and let the bird on the ground to walk around and explore and get plenty of fresh air. I lived on this hill and there was a big rock the bird was standing on. My bird took off with a big gush of wind that came through. Even though his wings had been clipped he could still fly. I was shocked and amazed and upset and mad all at the same time. Everyone immediately went chasing after the bird to see where he went. He just got so high in the air he disappeared and I couldn't see where he was. We all searched and searched and I balled my eyes out thinking here I failed miserably at being a pet owner. The search was almost hopeless. As I head home I cut through my neighbors yard full of trees and I hear this voice saying 'hello'. I kept hearing it and looked all around and there he was up high in the trees. If you've ever tried to spot a green bird in the summer time its a hard thing to do! We all tried calling the bird down from the tree but he just wasn't having it. This bird had probably never been in such a place and near such creatures such as the squirrel that scared him off to another tree. Finally after much help from friends and a ladder and lots of work we managed to get the bird out of the tree. I was so relieved. I mean what was I going to do with this custom cage that was going to be delivered the following week? Just the thought of an empty cage made me sick to my stomach.

Either way I got this bird back home safe and sound and I vowed never to take him out like that again. I was not about to lose this bird ever. The cage arrived and I learned more and more about this bird and wanted to provide the best care for him. I've given him everything I can. Years have gone by and he's still here with me.

I love going to the zoo. One of my favorite places is the Aviary. I love to see the birds and all the space and freedom they have and wonder how happy they are. Then I go home and see my bird in his cage and wonder if hes happy here. I wonder if after flying in the sky he ever wanted to come back into my home to be locked up. As much as I do for him is he really happy with his living arrangements? He sits in his cage day in and day out. We don't have his wings clipped anymore because we don't let him outside without a firm grip on him. He can fly around the house but does that ever compare with what he once felt? Does he enjoy his life? Is he happy in there? Does he want to be free? Is he happy with us? Should we have left him in that tree that day? I don't have the answers to these questions because I don't know whats in his heart. If he could just tell me I would listen and do whatever it took because without happiness you have nothing. If you're not enjoying life you're not living right.

Not all birds are meant to be caged. Is he one of them?

You have to jump to see how your wings unfold as you fall.