"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"

The title of this poem pops into my head a lot lately.  I think I first read it in high school and felt a real sense of compassion and loss for the "caged bird/ who sings of freedom."  I hate to admit it, but there are times when I feel like my metaphorical wings have been clipped and it I, too, am roaming a narrow cage.  As a new mother of two and stay at home mom, I sometimes feel as though the free spirit I once was is confined and stifled, longing to be free. 

Motherhood is a wonderful blessing, but self-sacrifice comes with the job.  Marriage is a safe haven--the arms of a loving partner are the refuge from a cruel world--but it also means giving your will over to someone else.  The lines blur and your find yourself not knowing where you start and the other person begins.

Over time, I feel myself losing my youthful optimism, creativity and passion for life.  Maybe that happens with age (or lack of sleep), or maybe I need to step out of my comfort zone, stop complaining and start doing the things that make me happy.  Although, Ms. Angelou likely wrote this poem about an individual's right to be free--heavy stuff--I can't help apply it to my own circumstances. I am searching for liberation from my own feelings of inadequacy and to find my purpose... whether it be raising great children, applying my God-given gifts to help others, or just growing a little as a person everyday.