Ugly Duckling or Majestic Swan? It’s Up to You!

There was a mother Duck who wondered why one of her little ducklings looks different than the other.  He was unusually large and ugly.


The other Ducklings make fun of him and punished him mercilessly.  Many would comment how ugly he was. Heartbroken and frustrated, he leaves to find a place in the world where he’ll be accepted.

One day at sunrise, he sees swans flying south – he admired their beauty, he wishes he could be as beautiful as they are. He takes flight and follows them to a beautiful lake, the ugly duckling then saw himself mirrored in the water, and saw the reflection of a magnificent swan, the reflection he saw was his very own, He then soon realized His true identity not as an ugly duckling but very beautiful swans.
 All his life he was led to believe that he is an ugly duckling.

There may be times in your life that you are led to believe that you are ugly, foolish, or you worth nothing and can do nothing.

You are what you choose to be. You can either listen to your critics and be a sad ugly duckling or choose to see what you truly are and be a happy beautiful swan.

Remember that what lies within you is a majestic swan.  You were born a swan you just have to believe and figure it out

Live up to your fullest potential.

The Dash Poem by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

© 1996 Linda Ellis

www.lindaellis.net