"The Flight of Resilience: A Bird's Journey to Independence" - 3

 

"The Flight of Resilience: A Bird's Journey to Independence"

3

Despite her relentless efforts to survive in the new forest, every day brought fresh challenges for the young bird. She was already struggling to find food and shelter, and her weak wings made it even harder for her to succeed. But what hurt more than her physical challenges were the cruel words of the older bird, who had once offered her refuge.

One day, filled with frustration and bitterness, the older bird lashed out at her, saying, "You are nothing but a piece of shit. You can't do anything right. Maybe that's why your parents left you in the first place!"

The words cut through the young bird’s heart like a dagger. Until that moment, she had endured his harshness, believing that he was tough on her for a reason. But this time, something broke inside her. The world had already turned against her, and now the one bird she respected—the one who had given her shelter—was tearing down whatever little self-worth she had left.

From that day on, the weight in her heart became unbearable. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t find happiness. Her attempts to find work or gather food were always met with rejection. The other birds in the new forest dismissed her, saying, "Your wings are too weak; you're unfit for the task." She had no opportunity to prove herself, and with every rejection, her spirit sank deeper into despair.

And every time she returned home, the older bird would hurt her even more, taunting her, shattering her self-respect. He no longer seemed to care about the bird he had once helped. Instead, he added to her burden, saying things like, "You’re worthless. Why am I wasting my efforts on you? You should start paying me for the food and shelter I’m giving you. You’re just a burden."

The young bird didn’t know how to respond. Every day, she sought opportunities—flying from bird to bird, asking for work or help, and each day, she faced rejection after rejection. She would go to fifty birds and hear "no" from each one. She felt trapped and humiliated. She was grateful to the older bird for taking her in during such a difficult time, but the constant attacks on her character and worth were breaking her from the inside out.

One evening, the older bird threw yet another insult her way, but this time, the young bird couldn’t take it anymore. Her heart heavy with pain, she finally snapped. Shouting through her tears, she said, "What do you know about my life? I used to be happy! I had a family who loved me, a home where I felt safe. But I was separated from them by something I couldn’t control. Yes, I’m grateful to you for helping me when I had nowhere to go. I’ve tried everything to find my own way, to provide for myself, but every day, I face rejection. Do you think I enjoy coming back empty-handed, unable to face you? I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, and yet, all you do is hurt me more. I will repay you for everything—just stop hurting me!"

Her voice broke as she began to cry uncontrollably. Unable to bear the pain any longer, she flew away from the house, far into the sky. She didn’t know where she was going; she just needed to be alone, away from the cruelty, away from the judgment. All she wanted was peace, a place where she could cry and release the flood of emotions that had built up inside her.

She found a quiet spot, far from the world, and let herself weep. She cried for her lost family, for her broken wings, for the cruel words that echoed in her heart. She cried for the life she once had and the uncertain future that lay ahead. But through her tears, something inside her began to shift. The more she cried, the lighter her heart became. For the first time in a long while, she wasn’t holding everything inside. She was shedding her pain, letting it all out. And in that release, she found a small spark of hope—perhaps buried deep, but there nonetheless.

To be continued...

pooja mattapalli