“from the back country of Brazil
I met a young brother that made me feel
that I could accomplish anything
you see just like me he wanted to sing
he had no windows and no doors
he lived a simple life and was extremely poor
on top of all of that he had no eye-sight
but that didn’t keep him from seeing the light”
As a 21 year old girl who always had high hopes and big goals, who worked hard for everything she was and had, I sometimes find myself feeling like a caged bird. I get antsy, impatient, restless, and down about the conditions of my life and my body. This doesn’t happen too frequently, but is usually triggered by a step backwards or an extra hurdle thrown into my path. Something momentarily steps in front of me in the long tunnel I’m traveling down and blocks the light that I can usually see shining at the end.
I’m sure it’s completely natural for someone to feel this way, especially if they’ve been unable to set foot outside of their house for months, or if for years each day’s been filled with an array of suffering or physical hardship. Yet, after I allow myself to be down for a little while, I then open my eyes to realize that I am in fact blessed, and this is not a cage that I am residing in. During this brief season in my life, I’m wrapped in a cocoon. During this season, I’m fighting a battle, yet I’m also learning lessons that not many are fortunate enough to learn in their entire lifetime. You see, when you are cocooned as I am, you must learn to find happiness and satisfaction in the small things that exist in your parameters. You must blind yourself to all that is passing by outside, and focus on what’s going on inside. You must find joy in celebrating small triumphs, and be filled with gratitude for occurrences that may seem miniscule to those who live in a world less confined. After learning these challenging yet invaluable lessons, and allowing them to transform and change who you used to be, you’ll find that within your cocoon you’ve become someone new. I know that one day, when I’m strong and healthy enough, I’ll be able to venture outside of my cocoon and will emerge as a new, enlightened version of myself, the person who I was meant to be. Almost as though a butterfly would.
Not much will seem hard after this. Nothing will be as earth-shattering as this. Everything will be a blessing. The small things will be beautiful. The big things will be incredible. Every day will be bright. Nothing, not one thing, will be taken for granted. If I can go to sleep at night confident that I will wake up in the morning, and awaken the next day feeling healthy and free of pain, able to walk, breathe and stand on my own two feet, then each and every day will be a good day.
Though I will have had to suffer immensely to get there, I feel blessed to be able to live a life as rich as this. Not many have had experiences in their lifetime that truly open their eyes in this way. For most, what they have is never enough, and nearly all of what they have is taken for granted. Not many people can wake up smiling just because for that very moment they can breathe, or because that very day may be a day that they are able to rise from bed. Me, I’m grateful. I’m optimistic, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I have hope.
“back when I had a little
I thought that I needed a lot
a little was overrated
but a lot was a little too complicated
see, zero didn’t satisfy me
a million didn’t make me happy
that’s when I learned the lesson
that it’s all about your perception
hey, are you a pauper or a superstar
so you act, so you feel, so you are
it ain’t about the size of your car
it’s about the size of the faith in your heart”