It was a strange noise that I heard from trees the other day, and there, through the branches, I saw glued a colorful paper kite, and a taut string that stretched and relaxed and pulled the helpless kite that was stuck. I looked further and saw half a dozen more. “Poor guys! I thought to myself, I picked up a large bamboo and tossed them all onto the patio where I was standing.

I picked them up carefully, one by one; some had almost succumbed to the wind and inclement weather, others had lost a battle with a stronger opponent in the sky, they looked distressed by a faded color and a jaded look. “Do not worry!” I whispered tenderly, “I saved you, now everything will be fine!” You are safe! “

“Where are you taking us?” One of them asked anxiously and I laughed: “Don’t worry my little one, I’m taking you to a place where no manja will cut you, where you will never find yourself landing on a tree with the elements of nature cruelly waiting to destroy you! “

“Thank you!” the kite sighed as I hooked it to a nail, with the others also looking happy to seek refuge with me.

And there they’ve been hanging, safe, secure, and happy, until today.

Today it seemed that one or two of them had tears falling. “What’s wrong?” I asked sharply.

“We miss the breeze that lifts us, the wind that carries us in the sky, we miss looking at the earth below! “

“Oh yes!” I exclaimed harshly: “How quickly you forget the slice of hardened wire that cuts and makes you float helplessly.” How quickly you forgot, lying lifeless, helpless on a tree or an antenna! It misses you ?” I cried angrily.

“We are missing,” said a courageous orange kite, “The exhilarating feeling, as we soar, the challenge of being the highest in the sky, we miss, yes the competition with one another and the joy victory because we know we are stronger! “

“But you are safe here! I whispered.

“That’s not where we’re supposed to be,” said the same orange kite, “We should be up there, flying high!”

I went back up to the terrace thoughtfully and saw a little boy who was looking at the sky with envy. I shouted at him, “Take”, I shouted and gave him all the kites, “Go fly them, they’re not supposed to be just decorations on my wall!” “

I watch in amazement at the same kites that looked happy, if not safe, on my wall, now rising with the breeze, howling with joie de vivre and marching triumphantly as they wrestle with the others, and as I look, I ask myself: “Am I also a kite, stuck on a wall, too shy to take my place in the sky to which I belong?”

Are you? Afraid of doing business again, because of a manja cut? Afraid of getting into a relationship?
I watch the kites fly high again ..!

Robert Clements is a columnist and newspaper author.
He blogs at www.bobsbanter.com and can be contacted at [email protected]