winter wheat

I moved my adult chickens to the fenced in garden today.  I have a batch of month-olds that are, for now, taking over the barn.  While they grow big enough to defend themselves from the adults, the adults are fertilizing and tilling my garden for me.  

Three chickens figured out how to fly out of the garden this morning, and have spent all day pecking around, never more than 30 feet from their penned peers.  They have the freedom to roam anywhere in the yard they want to, but they won't leave the other chickens.  I was watching them a few minutes ago, and thinking of my own relationships as a social species.   

It seems to have done the free chickens little good to have escaped while the others remain.  

And I feel a little the same.  Any freedom I may experience on my path, is hampered by the imprisonment my friends may still be experiencing.  I find that I never venture far from their cage.  And my friends who have flown the fence I find myself in,  often come around to hang out with me, close, only separated by a fence.   

Years ago, I read a quote...."None of us are free until all of us are free"  

I understand it more deeply all the time.  And I see the concept in another light now, one that probably wouldn't have meant much to me a few years ago.  I see that it as an individual duty to the rest of our communities, to the rest of humanity to free ourselves.  Our refusal to rise above, to face our fears, to deepen our growth, to learn, to evolve.....it's not something we deny ourselves....we deny everyone.  

I often find myself wanting to escape....I want to escape a reality where people fight wars, where people steal,  where they rape and hurt one another.  I want to escape the selfishness and greed and the pain.  It feels so hopeless.  And I see there is no escape.  There is no real escape until we all escape.  

I am reminded of the prison women lived in 150 years ago.  A few women flew out and we've been spreading the news around the planet to this day.  So I can have hope.  It may take more than my lifetime to see us all fly.  But I can't control all of that....I can only work on me. 

And if you read this...please work on you.  

....."I never forget that we are sowing winter wheat, which the coming spring will see sprout and other hands than our will reap and enjoy"----Susan B Anthony