Undaunted

It’s eyes were closed. After days of hard work, she had finally broken her egg and hatched. She couldn’t see anything but she felt warm and safe under her mother’s wings. Mother had made this nest for her and her two brothers. She hadn’t seen them yet. In fact, she hadn’t seen the world that she had now become a part of. She couldn’t wait to open her eyes and catch the first glimpse of Earth, her home. She couldn’t wait to see the sky where she would spread out her wings and fly. Eager to see her mother, whose voice she had been listening to inside her egg, excited to fly, she tried to open her eyes. It wasn’t very easy, but she did it.

The first thing she saw was her mother’s wing. Mother had spread her wings over them like a blanket. The quilt of love kept them snug and sound. Her brothers’ eyes were still closed, but as Mother saw her baby’s eyes open, she shifted her wings and looked at her baby tenderly. Her eyes sparkled and she smiled. She named her baby daughter 'Wing'.

As days passed, Wing started moving around in their nest. Slowly, white feathers replaced her pink skin. Wing grew up to be a gorgeous young bird. Every day, she watched her mother take off from their nest in the morning to bring them food and some water. With her white wings glimmering in the sunlight, Mother’s flight radiated freedom. The sky belonged to them. Wing couldn’t wait to fly. She wanted to explore the world. She wanted to see the mountains and the oceans. She wanted to drink water from a flowing river. But "Not yet , Wing", was the only answer she got from Mother when she mentioned flying.

One autumn morning, Mother woke her three little ones early. The sun hadn’t risen yet. Wing and her brothers woke up and looked at Mother quizzically, wondering why she had woken them up so early. Mother smiled, and looked at her little birds who were going to fly today. "It’s time to fly", she told them. Wing felt a rush of excitement. Finally the day had come.

The three little birds stood in a neat line along the edge of the nest. Mother told them about flying. She told them about the sky and the clouds. She told them how the wind helped them sometimes but worked against them on other days. She told them about speed, changing directions and catching prey. After Mother told them about flying, she told them about the dangers of the sky. In the end she, took off, made a circle around their tree and came back. "Ready?", she asked her three little babies who had grown up in no time. They nodded. "Follow me", prompted Mother. She spread her wings and took off for the second time. Two small birds followed her, but one remained in the nest.

As Wing’s brothers and Mother soared in the sky, she looked at them longingly. They called her to join them. "It’s really fun!", her younger brother beamed. But Wing couldn’t get herself to fly. Mother came back to their nest. "Why didn’t you follow us Wing?", she asked her thoughtfully. She didn’t seem angry at her. "I...I was afraid.", Wing replied truthfully. "Why Wing? We’re meant to fly. And for you, more than anyone else, flight has always been fascinating, hasn’t it?" Mother asked.

"Yes, Mother, I’ve always wanted to fly. I couldn’t wait for this day. But now, I’m afraid I’ll fall. And what if I can’t pick myself up again? What if I’m never able to fly?",Wing answered. She was embarrassed. How could she, a bird be afraid to fall? She had wings! But Mother understood her fear.  "Perhaps you’ll want to try again tomorrow?", she asked Wing. "Ok, Mother.", Wing sighed. She didn’t know how her fear would go away in a day. Mother smiled at her and then flew to her brothers who were enjoying their first flight.

As Wing stood alone in the nest, she looked at the sky. The sun was rising. A stretch of gold and red embellished the horizon. Wing wanted to fly. And she understood the reason she was afraid to fall. She was scared that she would never be able to fly if she fell down. She was terrified of never being able to fly. "But this fear, it is not letting me fly anyway.", she thought. Never flying, for her was a risk far greater than falling down was. She wasn’t going to let her fear rule over her. She was a free bird and the sky was hers. She spread her wings and felt the wind brush them. "What if I fall?", she asked herself. "But what if you fly?", a voice inside her head whispered. She was ready.  Ready to fly.

She mustered up her courage and leaped off the nest. She soared high into the sky. Flying was as easy as taking breaths. It came to her naturally. She flew towards the horizon, her white feathers shimmering in the rays of dawn. Mother looked at her with pride and her brothers cheered. Wing was happy. She felt free. That she could ever fall, seemed funny now. Now, she would fly. She sped past mountains and the clouds. She saw the world like she’d never before.

 Ecstatic and enchanted, Wing flew. "What if you fly", whispered the voice again."Then I won’t be afraid. I’ll be undaunted.", she said, and glided along the horizon.