The Bird Who Had Soared

There once was a bird who wanted to go higher and higher.

The bird spent much of its time beating up into the sky.  Its wings grew strong.  It also became a master of currents and convection.  It grew wiser and subtler in its knowledge of air.  It even, in its desire to go higher, learned things and did things for high quality food surfaces–so that it could spend longer times trying to get higher before it had to come back down–than any bird had before.

But it grew old.

As it lay dying, struggling to launch itself for one last try, and failing, a wise old creature came by and told it sadly that in fact the air grew thinner the higher up one went and this is why the bird had in the days of its great success only been able to eke out a few more feet of height in each attempt.  In fact, the creature explained, eventually the air grew too thin to breathe and vanished altogether.

“Then I will make more air,” the bird defiantly exclaimed.  The dying bird struggled once more to get off the ground.

A voice from heaven said, “that is right.  Soon you will come to a place where I have already created infinite air.  The muscle you gained in  your glory I will return to you along with all your knowledge.  You will finally be able to soar like you were meant to.”