Ode to Jonathon

There’s a story that’s told among our kind; one I have heard since my youth. We all grow up with it, and know it as we know ourselves. For most, it is a fairy story, a fable, a myth – something to hold up as the gold standard for living life to the full.  But for me, it is personal because the story is about one of my line, on my father’s side. Not a fairy tale, but an heirloom which brings with it certain expectations. Boots to fill, if you like.

I come from a long line of high achievers, high flyers, risk takers. I see the way my family watch me, waiting for me to push the boundaries as my ancestor did. I don’t want to let them down; I really don’t, but the thing is - it’s just not me.

This ancestor of mine is a legend – I mean literally. People have even written about him. The story tells of how he wanted more than the daily grind, more than a monotonous fight for survival. He wanted to soar above the rest, to reach new heights; and he did. He showed us all that there can be more to life, and I respect that, I really do.

I agree that we should always try to reach our full potential, but we are all different aren’t we? Our potential is not set by some greater force, it’s a choice. For some, like this forefather of mine, it requires bucking the system. It means accepting that you will be feared, maybe hated, possibly even banished for being different - but prepared to live with that in order to be true to yourself. For others - for me - it’s about contentment.

I want to wake up with the warmth of the sun on my feathers. I want to close my eyes and hear the hushed whispers of the  breeze rush up from the sea. When I fly, I don’t want to go higher or faster, or further; I don’t want to be better than anyone else.  I just want to be my best. To skim the waves and feel their spray tickle my wings, to perch on a rock and absorb the silence, to sleep safely next to those I love when a storm rolls in. This is enough for me.  

I am named for my ancestor, Jonathon Livingston. I am proud of that, and in a way I have broken with tradition just like he did. I have defied expectations, challenged the established order of things, broken the mould. I have chosen to be myself, to live a peaceful but ordinary life. Sometimes that can be just as hard as choosing to be extraordinary.