LITTLE BROWN BIRD STORY

Once upon a time there was a tiny brown bird hopping around Mother Nature, eating little seeds and ruffling its feathers in the wind. And it was happy.

It watched the grey bunnies, the striped chipmunks, fat earthworms, and bustling black beetles that were part of its world. And it was happy.

It listened to the other birds singing, the leaves rustling in the wind, the squirrels chattering. And it was happy.

Then, one day, it heard a strange new sound, and it looked all around with its little black eyes! What was that sound? Then it saw it! A huge bird blazing in blues, purples, greens, and golds, many eyes shining from its long tail. "What are you?" asked the tiny bird from its perch high above. "I am a peacock," the colorful bird replied.

From that moment on, the little bird knew no peace, even though it lived in the center of beautiful Mother Nature, even though it was never hungry, even though the soft wind still blew and ruffled its tiny brown feathers. Finally, in despair, it went to Mother Nature and asked, "Oh, Mother Nature, why did you make me so brown and ugly? Why can I not shine like the blazing peacock? Why do I not have many eyes glowing from a long tail? Why must I be so unhappy?"


"Your unhappiness has nothing to do with the peacock, little bird," replied Mother Nature. "Do not act like a silly human being. You are unhappy only because you compare yourself. Cease comparing and all unhappiness will end. Just be yourself. Be happy being you."

And the little bird listened very hard with its little bird ears and opened its heart very wide so it could catch every word deep inside.

And it went back to eating little seeds and ruffling its feathers in the wind. And it was happy.