Let Go

I grew up with dogs, cats, fish, a turtle and birds

But my most favorite was the Amazon parrot

Pancho

Pancho was part of the family

He lived in a large cage in the kitchen

He thought he was human

He ate chicken, tacos, chile, 7up

Held a spoon to eat jello

Before you think this was animal cruelty

He wouldn't eat anything other than these things

He lived a long content life

His favorite song, Happy Birthday

Favorite holiday, Thanksgiving

He was part of the daily activity that centered around the kitchen table

He often wandered the house

But always returned to the safety and comfort of his home

When it was time to sleep he perched in the middle of his cage

Fluffed up his feathers, lifted a leg, and closed his eyes

(probably dreaming of food)

But one day there was a loud commotion

Pancho was screeching and the cage was rattling!

As I ran I imagined the worst

One of the sewer rats came in from outside? Cat? Dog? Death?

As I peeked inside the cage asking if he was okay

I found Pancho hanging from his perch upside down

He must have been following chicken tacos in his dreams

And somehow....fell forward

And was just hanging there...upside down

Wings outstretched; talons clawing into the perch

Screeching (boy was he screeching)

And all the while his huge eye was scanning the ground

As I took this all in I couldn't help but laugh

(And laugh and laugh)

From his vantage point perhaps he thought he was high in a tree in the Amazon jungle

And he had a death grip on that perch

Perhaps imagining the horrors if he let go

Perhaps breaking his neck on the way down

Perhaps being eaten by the predators on the jungle floor

But from my vantage point

He was hanging upside down horrified

With his head just one inch from the bottom

I knelt beside the cage and spoke to him

"Pancho, let go"

The screeching died down a bit as I put my hand on the side of the cage

For a moment he looked towards my hand 

"Let go" I said

And he started walking very slowly along his perch towards my hand

upside down

Occasional looks towards the unknown horrors lying below

(which just made me laugh more)

Pancho eventually reached the side of the cage
Cautiously reaching out a wary talon to the side wall

Until he righted himself on his perch

He stood there for a moment - feathers all ruffled - eye stuck in 'huge'

I stroked his head a bit and told him

"I told you all you had to do was let go"

~ ~ ~ ~

Supposing this is what the Universe, Great Spirit, God (whatever name you give it)

sees in me

Sees that I am still in a place that provides safety and comfort

Sees that nothing has changed other than my view point

The imagined horrors are nothing but imagined

Perhaps He is laughing and saying

"Just let go"

(as He roars with laughter)

~ ~ ~
So just for today try letting go of that which you fear
The worries, the anger, the perfection
What have you got to lose?