A Bird in the Hand

The old proverb says, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” We beg to differ. We think a bird in the hand is worth about eight. (But we’ll save that for another day.) Proverbs are a wonderful source of metaphors, and this one is no exception. It’s better to have one bird right there on your dinner plate than two birds in a nearby bush. It’s much better to have one bird on your plate than 47 birds that are flying overhead. Those 47 only have value to you if you happen to be an Olympic sharpshooter. It is better to have one bird that is certain rather than two birds that are not certain, especially when making a move towards the two unacquired birds might mean you will lose the one on your plate and end up with nothing, à la Wile E. Coyote.

Unless you’re a dope, you have seen this metaphor countless times in your everyday life. Do I quit my current job for a higher-paying one? Do I dump my girlfriend for an upgrade? Do I risk acceptable A today for better B tomorrow? It’s the situation where you must choose between staying with what you have now or tossing it to the wind for the possibility of gaining something greater. In the gambler’s world, it’s called “standing pat,” not adding to the already present bet. This metaphor is a life lesson about choosing. Keep your eyes open, and you’ll see it pop up time and again. It’s a favorite movie theme, too.