Freedom
A few days ago, a hornet flew through our back door and
landed on our washing machine. It was
lying docile there in the morning so I covered it with a small container, slid
a card under it to rescue it, and let it free out the back door. To my
surprise, it soared exuberantly into the sky.
That experience brought be back to the following story in my files that
I learned about years ago….
Have you ever heard of Blaenau Ffestiniog (pronounced Blái-nah
FÉS-tin-yahg)? It’s a small town in Wales that was once a major center of
the slate mining industry.
Near this little town, you’ll find flocks of sheep—docile,
unassuming animals often labeled as unintelligent. But perhaps we’ve
underestimated them.
To keep the sheep from wandering off, farmers installed
cattle grids. These are barriers made of spaced metal bars laid over a
pit—designed to stop hoofed animals from crossing, as their legs would slip
through the gaps. Vehicles can pass over them easily, but the grids are meant
to keep livestock contained.
Well—surprise! The sheep of Blaenau Ffestiniog have figured out
how to defeat the system. They tuck up their legs and roll right over
the bars. The so-called “dumb” animals outsmarted the obstacle. The formula
designed to keep them penned in didn’t work.
The authorities thought it simple: let the sheep graze, eat their
fill, and grow wool. Keep them content—and, more importantly, keep them unaware
that life could be any different from being confined. But deep within them,
something stirred. A desire for freedom.
What does that mean for us?
Do we value freedom? Will we allow ourselves to be penned
in—distracted, appeased, and told it’s enough? Or will we, like the wise sheep
of Blaenau Ffestiniog, find a way to roll past the barriers that seek to limit
us?
This is interesting! Thanks for sharing!
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