The Parable of the Covered Canary

This is a simple blog today about something that occurred to me this morning.

We cover Petey the Canary’s cage every night so he can sleep in comfort and darkness.

He usually doesn’t start singing until we uncover him in the morning. I am up at the crack of dawn before anyone else, so I don’t uncover him until everyone is up and moving lest I wake the entire family with his symphonic melodies.

I am writing this blog just after 9 in the morning and I made my breakfast to the beautiful tunes Petey was singing for me.

But his cage was still covered. I had forgotten to uncover it.

And yet he sang anyway.

Why?

Because he wanted to, obviously. And no cozy blanket covering his cage was going to stop him. It was simply time to start singing.

Let’s expand this now into my little parable.

How many of us haven’t kept our songs silent because of real or imagined blankets covering our own figurative cages?

How many of us  go through our days a mere shadow of who we are, simply because of supposed barriers before us?

We keep waiting for that blanket to be lifted.

We wait until we are richer…healthier…in a better mood…in a better job…in a better circumstance.

We wait until the weather gets better…until our complexion clears up…until a particular season approaches…until the perfect mood that never comes unless we decide right where we are that it is OURS for the taking.

So sing your song. Write your words. Steer your course. Pave the way. Blaze the trail.

Now.

Right now.

Don’t wait for that silly blanket to be lifted.