Bird's Eye View

I must admit I am incredibly jealous of birds. This may sound odd, but it is so true. It arose in class today when I saw a small bird perched in a tree looking in as I was looking out. Even though it was bitterly cold today, I still felt a bit of longing to merely have the option to be wherever I wanted to be whenever I wanted to be there. What freedom they have. They are not restricted to classrooms or schedules, they do not have to be concerned with living up to a particular set standard or worry about how they are going to pay for their education, they just take it a day at a time, a trait that I am still perfecting. Though this may be true to every animal, but birds have it far better because they do have the capability to see the world from one hundred feet in the air. How cool would that be? I mean, really. Who would not want to experience flying?

Life for them is so undemanding. There is a part of me, my adventurous half that would want to live that life of minimalism. To not be tied down to a job and be able to just up everything and move from town to town, maybe in a mobile home, maybe to whoever’s door that is open and willing to welcome me in, or maybe on the streets, who knows. Something that involves some risk. Then there is my practical, stereotypical side that wants to live in a nice, character filled house to raise a family, to be self-supportive and find a job I love (if I can ever find what that is) and in the end settle down with my love and raise a family. Why do we have to live according to our cultural predisposition? I dislike that we have created a status quo and if we do not live up to it than we have seemingly failed. Who set the status quo anyway?

I just wish the nomad life were not so looked down upon. We all have a need and a hunger to be liked and accepted, even those who like to challenge the norms of life. It would be difficult to create any sort of lasting friendship if you were constantly going somewhere different unless you were to bring along with you some sort of companionship. This would surely be a challenge for me because I thrive on people. There is no doubt in my mind that it would push my boundaries, but I like that. I think I would enjoy the challenge. Maybe I will only do this for a short amount of time, just enough to quench my curiosity.

There is one part of the bird’s lifestyle I know I can follow: to take life a day at a time. Plans are too overrated.