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.
The WEAST Perspective 