The Wisdom of Wings: A Heartfelt Lesson from My Daughter

Today, during our usual video call, a simple, spontaneous question I asked to my daughter unveiled depths of thought and emotion I hadn’t anticipated. Out of the blue, I asked her, “Would you rather be a bird with wings or a flower that blooms?” I was expecting a playful or straightforward answer, something light to share between us across the miles. But her response touched a chord deep within me.

She chose to be a bird with wings. Her reasoning? “Because,” she said, with a seriousness that belied her young age, “a bird with wings has the freedom to go anywhere. It isn’t confined to one place.” Her words were simple, yet they carried the weight of profound longing— for the skies, for freedom.

Then she reflected on the life of a flower. “A flower might seem beautiful with its only job to bloom, but what if the environment is harsh? It struggles to bloom eventhough the soil is poor or the weather is unfriendly. And even at its most beautiful, a flower is rooted to the spot. It doesn’t get to choose where it grows or explore the world beyond.”

Her insight moved me deeply. It wasn’t just about birds and flowers. Her words mirrored our lives— her life as a young girl and mine as a parent working far away from home to provide for us. The longing in her voice for the freedom to soar high and the choice to explore resonated with my own heartaches and hopes.

I understood then, more clearly than ever, why the sacrifices I make are necessary. They are for her future, for her right to choose her path, to have the freedom that comes with having wings. In her young wisdom, my daughter reminded me of the vast skies awaiting her, of all the flights she dreams of taking.

As I continue my journey far from home, I will always be reminded of the lesson she taught me today: the precious value of freedom, the significance of choice, and the deep connections that simple questions can forge. Sometimes, the most casual conversations reveal the most profound truths, connecting our hearts across any distance with the tender strength of shared understanding.

Her words, so full of hope and wisdom, linger with me. They remind me of why I wake up each day, why I face each challenge—so that one day, she, too, can spread her wings and choose her sky.