Month: December 2014

Pelican can?

Gerard S. HoffLeave a comment

Pelicano2

It was a crowded pool.

It was so crowded, the movement of the birds almost looked like a newly invented elegant dance called the PeliCanCan! Almost elegant, because pelicans aren’t the best dancers in the world, especially not when they are hungry. This particular group of pelicans was hungry.
Very hungry.

As with any group of pelicans (or other kind of hungry flock) there’s always one who’s more hungry, behaving more foolish and more idiotic.

Normal pelicans scoop the water, catching a lot of water and occasionally a fish or 2 (or anything amphibian that unfortunately was swimming in the vicinity of the pelican) caught by expanding their throat pouch. After that they go back to the land and enjoy their meal. The hungry pelican, however, kept scooping. His beak was already stretched with fish. Other pelicans advised him to return and enjoy, but the hungry pelican murmured as good and bad as it goes with a mouthful: “No! Leave me, I can handle it. No problem here, I can manage, I just want to have enough fish, just in case.”

The hungry pelican kept scooping fish and water, ignoring his pelilfriends. His throat pouch was already stretched to the max, but still he wanted to catch one more fish. And then, the pouch broke!

All the fish in the beak, which had already said their prayers and reconciled with the fact that their glorious lives would end as mere fish stick snacks on the menu of a pelican, were free and also free to reconsider the rest of their fishy lives.

The pelican on the other hand, had a serious problem. His pouch looked like a ragged shopping bag and wasn’t able to catch another fish, let alone eat it and that caused a serious problem. No fish, no food, no food, a certain death….

Fortunately there was a pelican who could mend broken pouches, so after some serious stitching, revalidation a lot of liquid food, the formerly hungry pelican survived. He could collect food in his pouch again, but didn’t dare scooping the water, nor eating fish. He ate grass instead. The hungry pelican seriously considered to become the first vegetarian pelican ever, but after a while though, he realized fish was better than grass. Besides grass gave him the gas, so he turned herbivore again, but never ever stocked more fish than his pouch could handle…

 

The moral of this story can be a bit surprising, but is about the fact that it is better to let go of any issues and talk about it then to keep them inside. It might seem more comfortable, but the essence is: “It is not”.

Although it can be a serious threshold to talk about ‘issues’, in the end, letting them out and talk about it, will release you from a burden that will prohibit you otherwise. Talking about it will make you more light-hearted and will create a lot of new insights as well. Not only that ‘letting issues out in the open’ is better then keeping them inside, it also provides you new knowledge to avoid, recognize and handle new kind of issues as they cross your path. And believe me, they will cross your path, but from now on, they are like pins when climbing a mountain. Each pin will get you higher.

Pelican can? is part of the World of Beast

The Squirrel and the Parrot

Gerard S. HoffLeave a comment

Parrotti

Once upon a time, high up in a tree, a flaming red parrot was sitting on a branch. He was shivering and crying.

Along came a squirrel, which was actually not planning to stop, because he was on his way to the biggest acorn and nut feast one can ever imagine, which makes it for a small squirrel close to unimaginable to stop, but he stopped. He was touched by the extensive grieve of the parrot, that he sat down next to him on the branch; his tiny head slightly bend to the left, looking at the red parrot.

The parrot didn’t stop crying though, nor shivering, it even got worse. After a while, the squirrel asked: Well, what’s going on that is making you so sad?

I am completely lost, answered the parrot, and have no idea how to get home! I’ve been looking in all directions, but the only thing I see is trees. I’m completely desperate and have no clue to what to do next. The squirrel looked at the parrot compassionately. Why don’t you fly above the trees? He asked the parrot. The parrot looked at him with terror! Above the trees, he said, are you mad? Just the thought of it gives me a weak stomach.

Amazing! said the squirrel, but how did you get here? Did you climb your way up? No, no, said the parrot, I flew of course. I am not a good climber, besides, that would take forever!
So you flew? asked the squirrel, but what’s the problem then? The parrot turned even redder then he already was and said in an agitated way: The problem? The problem? The problem, dear friend, is that higher then the trees is as scary as the front end of a boa constrictor. And that’s why I am stuck here!

But you flew up to the top of this tree already, said the squirrel, there’s no difference between flying to the branch your sitting now or the sky above the tree. The only difference for that matter, is that by flying above the trees, you’re able to see the forest. And when you can see the forest, you’re able to see more then just trees and find a way back home.

The parrot was silent for a while. And silent parrots as such, are a rarity in this world. Normally they can’t stop jabbering about this and that and so on, so the squirrel hit a spot. The silence went on.

It’s interesting the dilemma you’re in, said the squirrel, and it’s up to you what you want to do about it. Actually it’s pretty simple, he continued, either you stay put on the branch and stay lost or you have to overcome your fears, fly up in the sky and find your way home.

But what if I fall down? said the parrot. You won’t, said the squirrel, you’re a bird, you were meant to fly, it’s what you’re designed for, unlike me. The parrot hesitated for a moment, but soon realized the squirrel might be right and said: OK, maybe I have to take my chances; sitting here on this branch won’t do forever either, will it? No, replied the squirrel, besides it will get very dark soon as well. The eyes of the parrot almost became bigger then its head and almost without a thought, spread his wings and then….

Took off. Just like that, up in the sky.

I can see the tops of the trees, it shouted to the squirrel, and I am not falling! A moment later it shouted: I can see the forrest! And the river! It’s beautiful up here! And hey! I see my home, now I know my way back! Thanks you for pushing me!

You’re welcome, said the squirrel and he went off to the magnificent acorn and nut feast.

 

The morale of this story is that in order to see the forest, you have to climb a mountain. Or in this case: Don’t be afraid to fly. When you don’t take the ‘risk’, the only thing you see is trees. Climbing a mountain creates the right perspectives and turns trees into a forest.

And there’s no need to be afraid. Everybody’s born with creativity and you will find solutions. The most important thing, is to make the effort to see things in a new perspective. Climbing that mountain may seem straining and tiring, but once you’re on the top, you instantly forget about the tiredness and get tons of energy from the fact that you made the achievement, but mostly from your new point of view.

Happy climbing.

The squirrel and the parrot is part of the World of Beast.