Turtles and Rabbits and Birds

This is not a place of judgement. It is a place of honesty, enlightenment and self-reflection. Anonymous by Dee Kyles

I’ve always heard people talk about how weird or creepy spiritual people are. People like Erykah Badu and Willow Smith, for some time, Jaden Smith, and here lately the R&B artist Jaheim. Most black families have an Erykah, Willow, Jaden or Jaheim in the family, and they usually are overly ridiculed because they stand out in ways that their “normal” families haven’t seen or are uncomfortable with. “She’s always been a little weird” or “That child needs some prayer” or “poor thang, I don’t know why they mama let them be like that” are just a few whispers and conversation starters. But see, life is about 3 things, and it has three types of people in it. Turtles, rabbits and birds. What you have, what you are trying to go get, and what you don’t or can’t have. Things you can catch, things you can chase, and things that you cannot obtain. Which one are you? Are you in bondage? Are you running from bondage? Are you free? Can you be caught? Are you being chased? Are you unable to be held down and constrained?

The bird gets ridiculed because it’s too chirpy and happy. It’s the color black surrounded by white. It stands out, and people don’t like that very much. The bird is not afraid of change, in fact, the bird embraces change, and is always in a contrasting dimension than the average or typical person. So why do these types of people get ridiculed? Because they are seen as less than what they actually are. They are defying everything that was taught They are the unknown, and people fear the unknown. They don’t know what to do with it, so they run away from it or push it out.

See, the bird isn’t just a bird. It can be caught and chased too. There is an exception to every rule, but the bird will not be still for long. The bird is able to stay grounded like a turtle, so at times you may see it in the grass and the trees. In relatable places, doing relatable things. Birds are not exempt from trial and trouble, so at times the bird may have to run or break away from said trouble. Other times that bird is soaring so high in the sky and so far from sight that it is completely impossible to hold in grasp. A bird on the ground is a bird ready to take flight. It is more than one thing. It is 3-dimensional.

The most beautiful part is knowing that a bird was once a turtle. That bird wasn’t brought into this world knowing how to fly. It did not hatch and take flight. We are all capable of being that bird.

So, are you a turtle, a rabbit or a bird? Are you the one that casts judgement and ridicule or are you flying right through change? Next week I will be furthering the discussion with ways we can transform ourselves from one state to the other.