�

Wondering about the things in life that I was not happy with; I took a magical walk in the jungle. I came upon a bird with beautiful butterfly wings. Though beautiful, she appeared so unhappy. I asked the bird about her wings of a butterfly.

The bird replied, "I thought my own wings were not as pretty, just plain old green with a touch of yellow underneath where no one could see anyway. The butterfly had wings of so many colors, and they were beautiful on both sides. However," she told me, "I can't even fly. The wings are not as strong as my own. I can only flop from branch to branch. I so want my own wings back."

Before my eyes it was made so. I realized I may not have the beauty I see in another. However I have all the strengths I need to fly in my own special way.

Next I came upon a baboon with the head of a bulldog making a fuss. Trying to growl with a spiked collar around its neck. I asked why would he wish such a ridiculous head upon his body.

He stated, "I am small for a baboon, and no one paid attention to me. I thought the head of the fierce bulldog would make the other baboons respect me. But alas, it didn't. In fact they didn't even know who I was. The spikes of this collar cut my skin, for it was meant for a bulldog, not a baboon." He realized not only did he not have respect; he lost his own identity. The baboon added, "I want back my small, but identifiable baboon head."

Before my eyes it was done. I recalled the times that I tried on false faces, and lost the meaning of myself. I decided to set them aside.

Soon slithered before me, in a confused way, a snake with a flower for a head. It could not see where it was going, causing the snake to carelessly bump into many obstacles upon its path. Also the snake seemed very disturbed by a hummingbird taking nectar from the flower. Surely this was the strangest of all the things I witnessed. I inquired on why would a snake want to be a flower.

The answer came within the muffled petals, "I am a snake, who by nature's laws is to eat other smaller creatures of the jungle; but I often go hungry. My work is hard, for the creatures do not wish to go near me. I am always chasing them to and fro. Then I noticed on how they come right up to the flower, who has to do nothing. Though now I am more hungry than ever, since I have no mouth of a snake to eat with. Also I have no eyes to see my quarry that i know is there continually pestering me. So I understand now that it is better to work than blindly be idle. I wish to have my head of a snake back."

This time however, the snake did not change. The flower spoke forth, "I too wanted this change. I never got to go anywhere, and was tired of always having to stay home. I just waited around for the birds and bees to come, so I could make more flowers. All of that so they would have the same fate of always being in one place. With the snake's body I could move anywhere. I found out that I, like the snake, am starving. Without roots of a home, I can't take in nourishment of the life giving water. Oh please, I want to have my roots of home back."

Before my eyes, all was as it should be. I thought of the hardships of work I had. Yet was grateful that I knew what I did was productive. I realized I may not get to travel and do everything that I see others do. However, I knew where my roots were, and was nourished within my heart.

The jungle cleared a bit, to the path that lead home. I smiled.

Jana Drake
2-99
Copyright � by the author, all rights reserved.