The Goose and the Horse

Once upon a time, there was a goose who was plucking grass in a lush green meadow. In the course of her plucking, a horse came along and started feeding nearby. The goose was offended by the horse's actions, and proceeded to put him in his place, saying…

"I am, without a doubt, a more distinguished and complete animal than you, because your body is only good for one thing.

I, on the other hand, have the power to move on the land just as you can; not to mention that I am able to soar above your head as I please; and when I am in need of a bath I can refresh myself in the cool waters of ponds and lakes. 

I can be a bird, fish and land beast depending on my mood."

 

Upon hearing this, the horse snorted and neighed as though hearing a good joke. He replied, "It's true that you are perfectly ABLE to function in all three elements, but you aren't naturally gifted in any one of them.

You can fly, but you are so heavy and awkward that you could never rival the lark or the swallow for gracefulness.

You can swim on the surface of water, but you cannot survive underwater and glide as smoothly as a fish can; nor can you find your food beneath the waves."

And when you walk, oh… when you waddle your way around, with your flat feet and your long neck sticking out like a sore thumb, hissing and spitting at every other beast, you are truly a laughingstock among the land dwellers.

I admit that I am only able to move on land; but how graceful I am in my element! How well-built are my legs for my purpose! How powerful my entire body! How magnificent my strength! How blazing my speed.

I would much rather be only FOCUSED on one element, and be a GREAT FORCE in that, than be a goose in all!"

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So what do you think is the message in this story?

My take is that you should be thankful and appreciate what you’re naturally gifted in. You will always find someone else that is better at something more than you but it doesn’t diminish the blend of talents that you possess.

Any other thoughts?

Show Your True Colors

What are your true colors? Most people are only vibrating at a pastel hue when they could be a vibrant orange, red or blue.

Come alive. It takes not only knowing but acting on what makes you come alive that makes your true colors shine. Unfortunately what holds people up is the belief that what they want to do or be won’t be liked, accepted, respected or acknowledged. That is a shame because then it’s fear that is holding you back from being who you are and thereby letting your true colors come shining through.

The song True Colors sums it up quite nicely.

“You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
It’s hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small

But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow

Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy, can't remember
When I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there

And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow”

So what colors will your rainbow be?

The Truth Shall Set You Free

Love that sentence. Imagine a world where you always knew what the truth is.  You’d know the true intention behind the guy who just asked you out, the politics at work and which of your politicians is telling the truth or selling you a lie. Okay, now I’m just dreaming.

How free would that make you?  You would then be able to make wise choices in your life instead of learning the hard way. Of course, sometimes you have to learn what you don’t want to find out what you do want but that’s another subject.

If you went into something with the truth fully exposed then you’d have no one else to blame or celebrate for the outcome but you.  That is freedom

Freedom is about having choices and being able to act on them, to take the good with the bad for those choices.  There is no bail out.  It’s taking responsibility for the choices you’ve made, some good and some not so good.

Truth and freedom go hand in hand.  The truth frees you.  It’s like a release button.  You get to release on all the tension, frustration and anxiety that builds up inside when you tell the truth.  That’s why confessions are good, and why convicts have to tell someone about what they did.  It could be to boost their ego but then again it could be to set their conscious free.

Hmm. Did you ever think of it that way?

It’s More Important to be Right

Is it?  Think about how many arguments and disagreements, whether personally, professionally or even by governments have escalated and continued on simply because one or more individuals made it more important to be right? Even after the agreement is long over sometimes and individual wants to have the last word by either out right saying or it or by implying that they were right.  Take it for what it is, insecurity.

Instead of looking at the disagreement from a broader perspective and being diplomatic the person is focused on his own viewpoint and insists his way is correct. Of course, if he’s right than you must be wrong and must be smarter than you, none of which is true.  It just makes him better. Instead of taking his emotions out of it and doing what is best for all concerned he’s made his emotions and viewpoint more important.

It takes a wise person to rise above the chaos of disagreements and tactfully convey to those involved to see the broader perspective.  It can’t be achieved in a lecture, shouting, telling tone of voice but in a confident, calm rational and objective voice.  Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa are examples of people who calmly state with conviction their point of view and still got results.

When you find yourself in and argumentative tone, ask yourself what you’re making more important.  Ask yourself, “If I took out my emotions so that I had no involvement in the content of the discussion, would I react the same way?”

It’s something to think about.  However, it’s far more likely that you won’t think to ask yourself that question in the heat of a discussion but likely later when you have time to reflect on it.  That’s okay. That’s how you learn.

Have you found yourself making your viewpoint more important than the broader perspective? If so, please share your experience.