Refreshing as a breathe of fresh air

Rejuvenating as a cup of water

Freedom in a cage. Freedom in yourself

Understanding in the midst of chaos

Hope in the midst of despair

Freedom in a cage. Freedom in myself

I pulled a Houdini and now I'm free

to let my heart soar high above the clouds

to let myself remember to let myself move on

to live free, to live free, to live free

Where else should I be?

Waiting for the someone with the key?

NEVER! for the key is within me.

Unlocked and without a fee

Lucky filled with glee

Like a firework in the sky

Like music floating in the open air

Like a cloud, I am weightless

I was burdened by guilt

That was rightfully mine

I clipped my own wings

So that I may never fly

So that I may never forget

So that I could never leave

For I was unforgivable

The birds flew overhead

Whispered and wondered

"Why does he confine himself to the world below"

I threw rocks at them, hating them, hating myself

I was jealous, I was angry, I was lost

Being free as they were they merely flew away

Left alone I became worse everyday

Filled with guilt, regret, and helplessness

I began to crave the sky

Climbed the biggest trees

Scaled the tallest mountains

But gravity brought me back down every time

For I had no wings to lift me off the ground

I began to weep and cry

I laid in the grass for a long time

A small caterpillar, colorful as the rainbow,

slowly scooted next to me

he asked "why do you cry, why do you lie down as if life is already over?"

I looked at him and debated on squishing him

but seeing him as hopelessly stuck to earth as me

I stuck out my finger and he crawled on

I thought long and hard over his question

I only became more confused as I thought about it

So I asked him a question

"why don't you feel the same way, aren't you sad you can't fly?"

The caterpillar readily replied "It is not my time"

I had no idea what this meant and waited for an explanation

The caterpillar who knew much more than I said slowly

"I must live on the ground, till one day I shall undergo a change,

It will take a very long time, and then I will shed off this body

and start anew and live amongst the clouds"

Overwhelmed by this news, I sat straight up

barely audible, I whispered "how... How can I change"

I swear I saw him smile and I know I heard him squeak

"you have already taken the first of many transformations,

But you must let go, let go of your hate, you must let go of your regret, and

you must let go of your guilt, whatever your reason for holding on,

if you wish to fly, you must let go."

Overcome and ready for more answers I hastily asked

"How do I let go of all the horrible things that I've done?

I want more than anything to fly, but I don't deserve it.

The caterpillar looked from one side of me to the other

and then turned around and looked from one side of me to the other

after awhile he turned back around and said

"You carry many sorrows, you are encumbered by your own doing.

If you truly wish to fly, you must learn to forgive. Forgive yourself

and the all the weights you have put on yourself will become balloons before your very eyes."

With these words, this wise, wonderful caterpillar leaped from finger to a nearby bush

TRUTH! ultimate truth, unbelievable truth, beautiful truth

I closed my eyes and thought of all my sins held deep within

I had many and it took a long time to forgive them all

But when I opened my eyes I had my wings

Refreshing as a breathe of fresh air

Rejuvenating as a cup of water

Freedom in a cage. Freedom in yourself

Understanding in the midst of chaos

Hope in the midst of despair

Freedom in a cage. Freedom in myself