Two men who are neighbors have both grown fond of raising pigeons. Both raised the birds from hatchlings, fed and took care of them well and soon the birds grew big and strong.
One of the men raised his charges with loving care, speaking to them, and every so often let the birds out of their cages, and the first man was happy to see that the birds have developed strong wings that let them fly out far into the sky. Soon he disposed of his cages and replaced them with little houses for the birds to come home to after they have gone out flying.
Meanwhile, the other man, though he loved and took care of his charges well, decided to clip the wings of the birds in his care. The birds can still fly, but not far enough to take them soaring high into the sky, for their wings are no longer strong enough to let them fly. The second man was pleased to see that the birds in his charge can fly only a safe short distance away from him.
Once, having realized that though they share the same enthusiasm for the birds, they have different ways of handling them. So, the second man asked the other, "Why do you just let them fly off far away from you like that? Aren't you afraid they might not want to come back to you? Why don't you clip their wings like I do?"
A knowing smile came upon the first man's lips before he replied, "My friend, I keep these birds because I love to see them fly high up in the sky... and I trust them enough to fly back to me at the end of the day, as much as they trust me to never keep them from enjoying the beauty of their flight."
