If only I could be like you…
A story is told of a crow that lived in the forest. He was absolutely satisfied in life until one day he saw a swan. “The swan is so white and I am so black,” thought the crow. “He must be the happiest bird in the world.”
He approached the swan and after he expressed his thoughts, the swan explained, “I was feeling that I was the happiest bird around until I saw the parrot who has two colors. I think the parrot is the happiest bird in the world.”
The crow then approached the parrot. “Dear parrot, you are very beautiful. You must be the happiest bird in the world.” “No, my dear friend,” explained the parrot. “I lived a very happy life until I saw the peacock. I have only two colors but the peacock has multiple colors.”
The crow then visited the peacock in a zoo and saw that hundreds of people had gathered to see him. After the people had left, the crow approached the peacock. “Dear peacock,” said the crow. “You are so beautiful. Every day thousands of people come to see you. When people see me, they immediately shoo me away. I think you are the happiest bird in the world.”
The peacock replied, “I always thought that I was the most beautiful and happy bird on the planet. But because of my so called “beauty”, I am trapped in a zoo. I have examined the zoo very carefully and have realized that the crow is the only bird not kept in a cage. So for past few days, I have been thinking and wishing, if only I could be a crow, I could happily travel the world. I crave for freedom!”
Whereas this is just a fable, its reality deeply penetrates the human race.
The sting of insignificance is real! Today, more than ever, many people are going through life feeling insecure in their own skin. They lack confidence in themselves and wish to be someone else but themselves. They cringe back in life because they can’t be like so and so.
Majority of these people are sitting on the sidelines as they watch other people’s lives in admiration. Instead of playing in the arena of life, they are spectating the lives of others in social media and gossip blogs. Instead of focusing on accomplishing their mission, they complain that life has offered them a bad hand. They focus so much on what others have and lose focus on what they do have.
In his book, “You’re born original, why die a copy?” John Mason asks a very intriguing question: “If you choose to be someone else, who will be you?” On the same breath, Oscar Wilde, the famous Irish poet of the 19th century said it all, “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
God created you to accomplish your mission, not to spend the rest of your life as a spectator. I believe each one of us is uniquely gifted and equipped for whatever mission they are supposed to accomplish under the sun. Your personality, your voice, your pigmentation, your height, and every aspect of you is aligned to something you can do well if committed.
If you ever felt the sting of insignificance, understand that you have something unique to offer. Instead of sitting on the sidelines while wishing to be someone else, be confident in your own skin. Focus on giving the most truthful expression of yourself. Let the world listen to your authentic voice and experience your true unique identity. That’s what the world desperately needs… the authentic you! By the way, the world pays premium for authenticity.
I want you to remember this, your mission is wired in your uniqueness.
