An interesting story I received through the e-mail from Hui2. She called it a short story but I call it a parable, i.e. a story with a moral behind it!
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Once upon a time there was a group of frogs .... which organized a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants.... The race began....
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Honestly: No one in crowd really believed that the frogs would reach the top of the tower. You would hear statements such as: "WAY TOO DIFFICULT!!", "THE TOWER IS TOO HIGH! , "THEY WILL NEVER MAKE IT TO THE TOP", "NOT A CHANCE THAT THEY WILL SUCCEED!"
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The frogs began collapsing. One by one.... Except for a few who kept on going, climbing higher and higher.... But the crowd continued to yell, "IT IS TOO DIFFICULT!!! NO ONE WILL MAKE IT!"
More frogs got tired and gave up.... At the end, everyone gave up except one tiny one which continued to climb, higher and higher and higher.... This one just wouldn't give up! Finally, it reached the top!
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Everyone naturally wanted to know how this one frog do it? A contestant asked the tiny frog how he find the strength to reach the top?
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It turned out.... that the frog was DEAF!!!!
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Photo: Froggy the Dreamer!
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Here is my take on the moral of the parable. It is about the traits of successful people. Here are three I extracted from John C. Maxwell's Be All You Can Be!
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1) Successful people exclude negative thinkers as close friends - constant exposure can dampen enthusiasm, kill passion, drain energy, and promote discouragement and pessimism. (Note: succesful people are also discerning to know when to listen to criticisms and when not to. They pay more attention to those who want to see them climb higher (e.g. a mentor) and less to those who want to see them fall.
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2) Successful people encourage others as well as themselves. They impart confidence by speaking positive words. They recognize the power of their words! Instead of IMPOSSIBLE, they say "I'M POSSIBLE."
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3) Successful people are possessed with something bigger than themselves - a dream, a vision beyond themselves. Something that constantly keeps them going. It's out of their reach, and yet they believe that if they work hard enough, they will someday hold that dream in their hands.
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When you really have a dream, you aren't a problem conscious person. When you see a problem, you also see a dream, and the dream takes you through the problem.
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To end, let me share the lyrics of an old song which have inspired me to dream, to reach for the star! My school principal taught us more than 25 years ago during his farewell speech to the Graduating Class of 1981 (5th Form) of St John's, K.L. Since then, I've constantly sing it in my heart and for a long time, not many people have heard of it (except my wife, who thinks that I am like a broken record player which constantly repeat itself). Of course, not until a few years ago, when the song was selected as a compulsory song to be sung by the two finalists of the American Idol.
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"Impossible Dream"
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To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
And to run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong
And to love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
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This is my quest, To follow that star
No matter how hopeless, No matter how far
To fight for the right, Without question or pause
To be willing to march, march into hell
For that heavenly cause
And I know If I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart, Will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
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And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable, the unreachable,
The unreachable star
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And I'll always dream, The impossible dream
Yes, and I'll reach, The unreachable star
