For years, one of my guiding quotes has been this one from Zitkala-sa (Gertrude Bonnin), a Lakota writer, activist, and violinist born in the late 1800’s: “And truly does it seem his vigorous freedom lies more in his little spirit than his wing.”
I’ve got it written on a little paper inside my wallet, and I look at it often as someone who takes care of small children outside.
Children who are still learning how to do everything, and who sometimes get discouraged if they don’t know or can’t do, but who have so much to offer the world, including their vigorous freedom of spirit.
I think of it now, as our wings are clipped. We’ll have the space to stretch them again eventually, but for now, we look for other ways to let our freedom fly. Our freedom lies in our spirits, rather than our wings.