Once upon a time, there was a beautiful garden with apple trees, orange trees, pear trees, beautiful rose bushes, all of them happy and satisfied. Everything was joy in the garden, except for a deeply sad tree. The poor guy had a problem: He didn’t know who he was!!”
“What you need is concentration,” said the apple tree. “If you really try, you can have tasty apples. See how easy it is.” – “Don’t listen to him,” demanded the rose bush. “It’s easier to have roses, and see how beautiful they are!” And the tree desperate, tried everything they suggested, and as he could not be like the others, he felt more and more frustrated.
One day the owl came to the garden, the most knowledgeable of birds, and seeing the desperation of the tree, exclaimed: “Don’t worry, your problem is not so serious. It is the same as so many beings on earth! I will give you the solution:
Don’t dedicate your life to being what others want you to be. Be yourself. Know yourself, and to achieve this, listen to your inner voice.” And with that said, the owl disappeared.
My inner voice? To be myself?
The tree wondered in despair, when suddenly it understood. Closing his ears, he opened his heart, and at last he could hear his inner voice telling him:
“You will never give apples because you are not an apple tree, nor will you bloom every spring because you are not a rose bush. You are an oak tree, and your destiny is to grow big and majestic. You are here to give shelter to birds, shade to travelers, beauty to the landscape! You have a mission! Stick to it!” And the tree felt strong and sure of itself and set out to be all that he was meant to be.
So he soon filled his space and was admired and respected by all. And only then was the garden completely happy.
Be yourself!
Cover photo: Simon Wilkes de unslapsh.com
