If I was an Alien who Came to Study the Human Race

If I was an alien who came to Earth,

I'd spend my time in airports.

In airports humanity is exposed,

and raw.

In airports you can see the sorrow of goodbyes,

the joy of hellos,

the infinite capacity man has to love.

In airports everyone's walls are down,

their facades ripped off,

forcing their true colors to emerge.

And in airports the hope within humanity is clear,

the people illustrating what some think is lost.

Everyone is either

coming or

going

parting or 

reuniting,

and Everyone is the Same.

No matter where on the planet,

mankind is one,

no matter their differences,

no matter their religion 

or race,

in airports they are all just waiting 

for the next plane to depart.

A New Free Bird

For months my profile picture was of me and Annie. For months it was a constant reminder for prayer. For months it made me feel just a bit closer to the piece of my heart that was so far away.

But a month after her death I knew it was time to change it, but I couldn't bear to look at my face without hers next to it. I couldn't fill the void that her immense blue eyes created once they were absent, and I don't know that I ever will. But I knew it was time to let that smallest bit of her go.

So I instead settled for a compromise. A picture of a small bird.

Lately there is a song that has reached me in more ways than one. A song by Annie Brooks called Elaina. 

To help understand why here are the lyrics:

Elaina is standing on the stairwell again,

Does she not know that she can fly away?

Elaina climbing higher step by step,

But she will never reach the sky, that way.

Elaina that looks so sad,

Should not someone remind her?

Elaina has no one told her of the span of wings

That stretch behind her.

Standing in the dust

She casts her eyes up to the Heavens

In disappointment

Her strength is laid to waste

Wondering why she never can quite make it

While tears of frustration paint her face.

Elaina, what are you still doing on the ground?

Why don’t you sail the wind?

Elaina, the sky is yours stop trying to obtain it,

Just to fail again.

Elaina, thinks that she’s a failure,

But even stars cannot compare to what she’s worth.

Elaina, she looks so familiar,

Don’t’ you think that we’re a bit like her?

With our wings folded neatly behind us

With glory in each step that we have climbed

But how is one mile different than one thousand?

If none of them will ever reach the sky?

Standing in the dust

We cast our eyes up to the Heavens

In disappointment

Our strength is laid to waste

Wondering why we never can quite make it

While tears of frustration paint our faces

But we have wings to fly away

We are loved, and we have grace

We are free and justified

Use your folded wings and take the sky (2x)

Unfold your wings and take your sky.

~Annie Brooks

I know that Annie finally spread her wings, in fact, I think she always knew she could, but she just waited until the perfect moment.

And right now I feel very similar to Elaina. I've felt stranded and have just longed to stretch my tired wings and just soar. 

So the picture is a reminder. A mental note of all that I am, no matter how caged I feel.