The Cage of Contentment

Finding the courage to become something greater

Image created by the author

Introduction

Picture a circus elephant, once an emblem of power, now confined to the shadows of a dark cage. In the circus, its mighty spirit was subdued, day after weary day, until the vast and open savannah from its youth turned into a distant, almost mythical memory.

Eventually, when the gates to an animal sanctuary are opened—the sights and smells of the vast expanse of freedom just a few steps away—the elephant hesitates. Its spirit, so accustomed to the enclosure's gloom, falters at the threshold of freedom. And in a moment that defies nature, the elephant turns back, seeking refuge in the familiar bars of its cage.

This retreat is much like our own surrender when we cling to the deceptive comfort of 'just alright,' letting it dull our once-sharp aspirations and enthusiasm for greatness. The cage has beco…