THE TAIL OF A WHALE OFF PROVINCETOWN, MA on CAPE COD
There is a story about a man who had a love for exotic birds. One day he decided that he wanted to own one. So he traveled to a place in a jungle where he had heard there were hundreds of colorful parrots. He intended to capture one and take it home and keep it in cage as a pet. And so, he did.
Weeks later he said to the parrot, "I'm going to return to the place where I found you. Is there anything you would like me to tell your friends back in the jungle?"
The parrot said, "Yes. Tell them that I'm very happy living in a cage here at home with you."
So the man went back to the very spot where he had captured his parrot and announced to all the others: "Your friend has a message that he wants me to give you. He said that he's very happy living in a cage at home with me."
Needless to say, the man was completely shocked! When he went back home, he told the parrot that he had delivered his message. Then he told him that as soon as he did, one of his friends fell off a branch and fell to the ground dead.
Upon hearing that, the parrot in the cage fell off his perch to the the bottom of the cage, dead. The man was obviously very upset at this, but he reached into the cage and took out the dead parrot, opened the window and put the parrot outside, sadly intending to bury him later.
As soon as he did that, the presumed dead parrot got up and flew to one of the branches of a tree in the yard. The man said, "You tricked me! I thought you were dead!"
The parrot said, "No. My friend was sending me a message. He was telling me that I have to die to myself to be free to live!"
You will no doubt have your own interpretation of the meaning of that story; but as I see it, it refers to the idea that when we came into the world, the intention was for us to live lives that were free of all the things that have in any way hindered us from truly being ourselves and fully enjoying and getting the most out of life. Genetic factors aside, it's almost as if we were born with a clean slate, innocent of all fears, prejudices, self doubts and a whole lot of other negative emotions.
Then as the years progressed, outside influences--well-meaning family, friends, and society at large--began to condition us in ways that took away our sense of well-being and freedom. We were caged up, so to speak, and prevented from being the person we perhaps most want to be. However, I don't think it's ever too late for us to liberate ourselves. What I think it takes to do that is increasing our state of mindfulness--being aware of how we think and feel and why we think and feel the way we do.
I recommend two particular books along those lines: Mindfulness by Ellen Langer and Wherever I Go,There I Am by Jon Kabat-Zinn. There are many others on the market, but those two I think are especially good.
