Illustration Friday: Caged

eep, talk about a late submission!  in any case, here's a little illo i made for this week's Illustration Friday topic: caged.  i tried to think outside the box since the topic was my suggestion and i intended for it to have an "emotional" connotation.

the illustration is about shyness, which i believe is best described as a self-imposed "cage" around those who suffer from it.  it is both ubiquitous and all-encompassing; for many people, it underscores every social interaction they take part in.  i think that the best cure for such a condition is to learn to love yourself, and only surround yourself with people who accept you as you are.  don't let it prevent you from being all that you want to be! :>