The Flight to Freedom
Never knew it was the best place to be, free from the façade that once disguised itself as truth. I had forgotten years, never believed in what I felt, but feelings trapped me in a cage. A cage surrounded by many who never felt like they were for me, but who seemed to enjoy watching me struggle. While I flapped my wings, eagerly hoping that one day the cage would open to let me fly free.
The day did come. Restless in the dark, I screamed and cried, asking to be set free. I kept flapping my wings as the storm both outside and inside shook me and my cage. Suddenly, I saw the door open and off I flew. Was the storm there just for me? Someone above who tried to help me break free?
I flapped my wings hard, never believing there was still so much strength in me. As I soared high, the clouds moved away and a brighter sky appeared before me. I do not know how far I flew, but it could have been days since I began this flight to freedom. I looked down and what did I see? It felt as though heaven itself descended, telling me, “This is the place where you need to rest now.”
A beautiful row of lush green trees and blooming flowers stretched out in the fields below. I gradually flew towards them and perched myself on one of the trees – a tree that felt complete, full, and peaceful. I rested there, as my long flight had worn me out. Doesn’t it feel good when you can finally breathe in the open, with no shackles, no cage pretending to speak of protection and care? For a moment, I thought of the cage that had been home for years. This felt real – hopping from one branch to another, letting my tired wings rest. Wings that had flapped endlessly for years, yearning for escape. Here, I found both my feed and my space. I realized I was never meant to be caged. I was a wanderer. And today, my flight had brought me to this fantasy world that felt more real than anything I had ever known.
There were others like me, perched on the tree, which had long been their home. As the sun’s rays kissed the earth, they created a halo around each tree, turning them golden, with fruits glittering like stars. They shone not because of the darkness but because of the brightness – light that reached every little thing, making every tree a home. A home that lets you fly in and out whenever you desire.
I was new to this beautiful environment but adapted quickly. Long rows of flowers swayed in a rhythm, opening to the sun each morning. A gentle breeze carried a melodious tune, keeping the entire place alive. A sparkling blue stream added its own music, rippling like butterflies and creating tiny waves that danced with joy.
We are always searching for peace, a little silence in the rush of life. When I was caged, I watched others who seemed free, yet they never appeared alive. But here I was – a wanderer with no boundaries, no rules about how far or how long I could fly. I was free, and I was alive.
The flight I took became my escape – a way to find myself, to remind myself that I was here, and that I was truly living.
“This blog is a guest post contributed as part of the Window Seat Stories collaboration by – Mansi Chaturvedi”
She is the author of Twilight Epiphanies, The Rainbow in the Palette, and The Shades of Solitude. She shares her writing through her blog Penned Connections, her podcast Live Wires on Spotify, and has been published in anthologies, magazines, and digital platforms worldwide.