Whoosh! The exhilarating winds enveloped my body as though I were a wee bird spreading my wings for the first time, filling my head, lungs, and soul with unmitigated glee and relief — I was free.

I sprinted, sprinted as fast as my tiny legs could manage. But where? Well, I don’t precisely recall for my happiness blinded me by cherishing every aspect of my joyous days, though I know it was my safe place. My safe place, ah my safe place it was a radiant kingdom! Put together by all that Earth gave me and what I made out of it.

It was a kingdom where mistakes were deemed as valiant acts of improvement, where the felicity of one’s soul was of top priority, where it was okay to try new things without the fear of failure, because failure was just another step to be added to the luminous staircase that led to one’s goal.

I apologise for neglecting you in hopes to prevail elsewhere with a philosophy that others would receive me with the same tenderness you showed me. I was naïve, I had an idea that you were a temporary sanctuary for me and that bigger and better places awaited me. I was wrong.

So how are you? Do you still reminisce back to the moments we shared, because I do.

As I sit at my office desk during the peak of twilight in the city that always made me imagine a brighter future, why? Why do I sit in such sorrow that I’ll repeat today’s events for many more days to come? Why is it that you’re not listening anymore?

Please open my cage, my wings yearn to be free.

Published in Dawn, Young World, September 28th, 2019