Where are you?

 

Some time ago I went to the zoo and saw this bear. He sat there looking at me and I looking at him. So I asked him, "Where are you?"

He didn't reply. He kept looking at me wondering who is this idiot talking to a bear and expecting an answer. But he did not comprehend the depth and wisdom of my question. He was sitting there in a very large area full of bushes, trees and grass and shade and so on. A bit like being in the wild really. As far as he was concerned he thought he was in his native environment. Not that he knew where his native environment was. He was probably born there where he was. So to him, he was happy at home. Little did he know he was in a zoo. In a closed and secure environment from which he could not escape. He did not care about the fence between him and me. He had plenty of room in which to enjoy life and I was an unwelcome distraction.

I moved on to the rhino; also in a very wide field with what seemed miles of land. Standing by the fence between us I asked him, "Where are you?"

He was thick-skinned and totally ignored me as I was disturbing his lunch.

It was the same with the camel. When I stood by his fence and shouted, "Where are you?" he had the hump, or two humps to be precise, and kept on chewing on something without responding.

Not much luck with the ostriches which did not really care where they were either. It seemed that none of these creatures really realised that in effect they were in an enclosure. Sure, they were free to go and do what they wanted; but within strict limitations.

When I asked this llama "Where are you?" he replied, "I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation. And the only explanation I can find. Is the love that I've found, ever since you've been around.

Your love's put me at the top of the world."

 

The poor creature did not realise that he too was in an enclosure.

Then I heard myself ask myself, "Where are you?"

 

And I slowly realised I was in an enclosure too. I was part of a society, a group of people, citizens of a country, a continent and a planet. And as such I had to follow certain patterns, and rules and regulations regarding my behaviour and interactions with other people in my society. Just like these animals, I was free, but within strictly defined limitations. If I stepped out of these limitations, imposed by my society, I would suffer the consequences. Just like these animals would if they jumped over the fence and left their enclosures.

Who is more free I wonder? Us or the animals?

As I moved on a parrot flew by and laughed at me saying, "Who's a silly boy?"