There was a Bird that looked like a Fly. What was wrong with the Bird?
Have you ever met a small person? I’m not talking about size, even though for some size is what really matters. I’m talking about emotional aspect of human presence that makes some of us look like a tiny dot lost in never ending space of any room we walk in. Whereas others, once inside of that same room, would make us feel they are the only ones in it.
So, what was wrong with the Bird that looked like a Fly? One thing obviously – it’s was not a Fly. It was a BIRD! So, why it looked like a fly to everyone else?
For me, as I’m sure for most of you, this matter is personal. We all do this, whether we realize it or not. We make ourselves, in most cases unintentionally, look like mere flies, when in fact, we are gorgeous, cheery birds.
We diminish our lives by default and it’s not okay.
‘Hey, thank you for your help,’ said your colleague, who asked you to help him with presentation he was struggling to finish by Monday. You smiled and with gladness agreed. Half of the weekend, you spent slouched in your chair, glasses on, trying to create a professional masterpiece your colleague would be proud to present to the boss on Monday.
Birds that look like a fly would answer, ‘no problem, not a big deal.’
Huh, do you hear this noisy fly buzzing already? I do.
But what’s wrong with that, you may ask. Nothing and everything. Presentations are not created by itself , are they? They demand time, knowledge and patience. So, why to push it into a shadow of meaningless and non-importance by answer like that.
Acknowledge your effort and stop diminishing it. World will not become better if you keep doing this.
So, instead answers like that:
- Not a big deal.
- I have plenty of free time, anyway.
- Anytime (yes, yes, I was just as surprised to know this word almost won a crown for diminishing our efforts as you are.)
- No problem, etc,.
Say plain and easy to the sound: YOU’RE WELCOME!
Helping each other is part of what we, humans, do. Some do it more, some less, but we all do it. And there’s nothing wrong in acknowledging it instead of trying each time to turn a bird into a fly each time because somehow, we just don’t feel like our time is that important.
Time is all we have and it is running out no matter how good and noble we’re.
People who ask your help, do it not because they think your time is less important than theirs. Then why you’re so stubbornly trying to prove them otherwise?
World is built on interaction and I want to give you just one more example of how, without as much as a thought, we manage to make important things look like a mere trifle. In other words, how we make a bird look like a fly without even meaning it.
It took me almost five hours to finish this presentation but I did it.
This sentence seems normal and most of us would not hesitate to use.
Now, read another version of the same sentence where I replaced ‘but’ on ‘and’ and let me know what you think.
It took me almost five hours to finish this presentation and I did it.
The difference is ephemeral, something that we could easily miss. But it is there, I assure you.
‘But’ makes first part of the sentence look smaller, less important whereas ‘and’ makes both parts equally important. The time you spent is as important as the fact that you finished it.
So,
Stop being a bird that makes yourself look like a fly!
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My appreciations to each and every of you.