I follow a local SoCal ultra runner (who also happens to be a professor, NASA engineer, and all around badass) on instagram by the name of Dr. Brianna Rita Pagán (@brianarita_). The instagram algorithm led me to her page shortly after I ran the Backbone trail last December, likely due to the fact that she too has run the entire trail in a single push. Since I am brand new to the running world and eager to learn and find inspiration from what others are doing, I clicked follow.
Today, Dr. Pagán posted a three photo collage on her story with a short caption that caught my attention. The photos were of three birds; one flying near the ceiling, presumably inside a house, and the other two were gently held in a gloved hand carrying them outside. The caption read, “Not just 1 or two, but 3 different types of birds flew inside [within] an hour, [and] I had to rescue (them) and place (them) back outside.”
Wild. All within an hour, three birds not only wound up inside, but were then successfully ushered back outdoors to safety and freedom. Heroic efforts by Dr. Pagán, if you ask me.
This story would have left an impression on me all on its own, but Dr. Pagán took it a step further by posing a question asking viewers to share what they thought this unlikely series of events might mean on a spiritual level.
Now I am no expert in the spiritual realm, but I sure do love to drum up a good metaphor and attach deeper meaning to real life experiences so I jumped at the opportunity!
I quickly responded to her inquiry and was frustrated to find a brutal character limit applied. So after I mercilessly paired down my musing to a single sentence and hit send, I pulled out my laptop, curled up with my dog, Astro, at my feet, and began typing away to my heart's desire, satiating my creative metaphor itch:
We are all born with unique potential. Whether due to insecurity, self doubt, fear of missing out, or something of the like, humans often pit themselves against their neighbors as though their unique qualities are threatened by others’ unique qualities. But our unique potential does not have to separate us. We can coexist as one, and there will be enough room for everybody to reach their unique potential. Taking it a step further, I believe the more support we offer others in achieving their unique potential, the more we will receive in our own pursuits to achieve.
With my lofty dreaming ways, I have often come up against a certain defensiveness when sharing my goals with my peers, especially when I am faced with physical roadblocks or low mental days. The exchanges go something like this:
Me: “I am having a tough day. I am training for an ultra marathon, but I am tired of all the training and I just want to have fun and relax.”
Peer: “You’re crazy for trying to run that far. I could never do that. You should just have fun and relax instead. I mean, I know you’re a good runner but clearly this is just too much.”
This is in contrast with the interactions I have with my beloved inner circle, which goes something like this:
Me: “I am having a tough day. I am training for an ultra marathon, but I am tired of all the training and I just want to have fun and relax.”
Friend: “Can you afford a day off to get excited again? Is it more of a physically tired or a mentally tired? Were you expecting this kind of fatigue? Is it worth pushing through it?”
Do you notice the difference? The judgment vs. the curiosity? The question marks vs. the periods? The peer justifies the presence of a ceiling. The friend reminds us that outside the box, there is no ceiling.
Even those best equipped to fly find themselves, from time to time, hitting a ceiling. True friends guide them back outside, point up to the sky and remind them of their true potential to fly, while not shying away from hard feelings.
So if you see a bird, or three, stuck inside, open the door and show them the sky, even if you yourself will never know what it feels like to fly.
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