Archives at Zinester: "Then fly, my friend!". "I Believe in You!".

"Then fly, my friend!"
by Bob Perks
Bob@BobPerks.com

"So why did you climb all the way up here to begin with?" asked the spider.

"My world was so limited down there. I wanted to see what I was missing," replied the caterpillar.

"And now all you want to do is go back down?"

"Yes, I do."

"I've been down there," said the spider. "I was just there yesterday. You see, all I need to do is float down on my web."

"That's why life is so unfair," said the caterpillar. "Some of us have so much more than others. It took me so long to get way up here. Then I was disappointed. When I was down there I had choices to make. I could go wherever I wanted and eat so many things. Up here in this tree, there is no where to go and these leaves all taste the same. I just want to get out of here."

"Well, head back down the tree," said the spider.

"No, it took so long to get here my life cycle is nearly over. The life of a caterpillar is so short. I would never make it back down in time to enjoy life again," said the caterpillar.

And so it is with many of us. We always want more but never sure exactly what "more" is. But we know more is never enough.

"So what will you do, my friend?" asked the spider.

"I don't know. I just want to crawl under that leaf and die," said the caterpillar.

"I can't believe you have that attitude! You have so much to offer the world, so much more you can become," said the spider. "You think that you have wasted all of this time searching for answers. I believe that all of this was necessary for you to become all you were created to be. Everything you desire you possess already. Look inside. For there lies all that you need."

"Look at me! I have too many feet, you can't tell which end is which and my color is boring. What good am I?" sighed the caterpillar. "I am tired, my friend. Please go about your business and leave me alone."

The caterpillar crawled off and curled up inside a big leaf near the end of a nearby branch. His friend the spider felt so sorry for him as he watched the caterpillar close himself off from the world. Everyday the spider would return in hopes that his friend would reawaken. He would stand next to him and whisper "There is more to you than you know."

Then one day after repairing his web, the spider returned to visit his friend. He was shocked. The leaf he had curled up in was wide open. He was gone.

The spider was sad.

"I have lost my friend. I did all I could..."

"Spider, look up here. It's me, the caterpillar. You were right!"

Looking up toward the bright morning sun the spider saw the silhouette of two huge, colorful wings flapping gently in the breeze.

"Look at me! Look at what I have become!" shouted the caterpillar. "I am a magnificent butterfly! I can go any where I want now. Down there and back up here to you, my friend."

"I told you. I kept saying there was more to you than you know!"

"The answers were inside. You were right. I wanted so much to get somewhere, but I didn't know where to go or how to get there. But when I stopped, in all my frustration, I discovered I did indeed have all that I needed to become more than I was already." said the butterfly.

"So fly my friend. Fly!" said the spider. And he slowly lowered himself with his thread from the tall tree as his old friend fluttered around him.

The moral to this story?

Sometimes the answers to your problems simply require you to stop where you are, turn over a new leaf and discover all that you possess inside.

Then fly, my friend. Fly!

Dear Bob,

Reading your story on the impact your son's phone call made on you made me stop and think....and realize that I seldom ask my father for advice....and how sad that really is. He is 84, and although I believe he will reach to be 150 because of his perfect health, mobility and sharp mind, I know I should take more advantage of the fact that he is still here and that he has so much to offer me. I do visit him once a week and we discuss politics and business, but I believe that a phone call every now and then in between would also be appreciated by him. Before your story it just hadn't crossed my mind that he might cherish that too.

Thank you for sharing.

Astra

Dear Bob,

I can relate to your joy...yes! there is something about parenthood that
cannot be compared
to the riches of the world. The inner joy of hearing them, embracing them
and just being with
them is more precious than gold...they are our treasures, right!

May you have more precious moments with Keith...and enjoy each other more
often!

God bless always,
Isaj

Hi Bob,

I'm so envious of your relationship with your son. My children are young
and I always try to be there when they need me.

I hope when they are grown they will still come to me and ask for advice
(even if they don't act on them :LOL).

Wishing you enough,
Kheng

Oh...........what a touching moment, brought a lump to my throat. What a very special son you must have.

Marilyn in WA.

Dear Bob,

Oh Lord, this one choked me up big time. My mother is 83. I know that someday she "won't be there" for me to call either. It makes me to sad to think that. She's been my "rock" for 55 years -- and as Dr. Phil puts it "a soft place to fall." She's the first person I think of calling for comfort. Whatever will I do when she's gone? I understand how Keith feels. Think I'll go call her now! :)

Love to you all,

Cynthia

"I wish you enough!"
Bob

Bob Perks is a professional speaker, author and vocalist.
Member National Speakers Association.
Visit http://www.BobPerks.com

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"I wish you enough!"
written by Bob Perks (c) 2001

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye."