Inspirational Short Story, Female Fantasy Art, Relaxing Music

A bird came down the walk:

He did not know I saw;

He bit an angle-worm in halves

And ate the fellow, raw.

-- Emily Dickinson

We must look very different to the birds than we do to each other.

Likewise, birds seem different to us than they do to each other.

Neither the way we see birds or the way they see us is the "right" way.

They are simply different ways of seeing.

If we could turn birds into people so they would see things the way we do, eat the way we do, and think the way we do, we would lose the idea of flying.

The knowledge that flight is possible is a gift birds have given us.

We do well to remember this when we get upset at others for not doing things the way we would.

Varieties of styles, appetites, and ideas are gifts that enrich the world...

...and bring more possibilities into our lives.

Everyone has talent.

What is rare is the courage to follow the talent.

-- Erica Jong

How easy it is to look at others with envy, certain that everyone we know is better in every way: school, sports, games, appearance.

What we may not know is that each of us is exactly right the way we are.

And what's more, no one of us is without talent.

Perhaps we simply have not discovered it yet, or maybe we've been certain we knew what the talent should be, rather than letting the talent within us emerge.

It's reassuring to know that we are talented, that we are special just as we are, that no one else is able to bring to this life exactly the same ingredients that we're able to bring.