I just stumbled across this quote, and it really resounded with me, especially in light of my thinking about my 16 year old former self yesterday. I refuse to be a flea.

If you put fleas in a shallow container, they jump out.

But if you put a lid on the container for just a short time, they hit the lid trying to escape and learn quickly not to jump so high.

They give up their quest for freedom.

After the lid is removed, the fleas remain imprisoned by their own self-policing.

So it is with life.
Most of us let our own fears or the impositions of others imprison us in a world of low expectations.

~Andrew Hsu