Sunday 31 December 2017

The Beauty Contest.


There once lived in a beautiful garden the most beautiful butterfly ever seen. There were many other butterflies in the garden but of them all, she by far outshone all the rest.

Such was her beauty that she had won many beauty contests, so many that she began to believe that there was not anywhere a butterfly so beautiful as she. She began to show herself off at every opportunity.

Also in the garden, there lived a beetle that was far from a thing of beauty and he was aware of this. He had heard many people say that he was a very ugly looking bug that he could not deny it was a fact.

Watching the butterfly preen herself and show herself to all who wanted to see only added to the beetles' awareness of his ugliness. The beetle felt so bad that he decided it was time to teach this butterfly a lesson.

The beetle went to the butterfly, and in front of every other animal and insect in the garden told her that she was not at all beautiful. She was, in fact, a very ugly thing to look at. He then went on to tell the butterfly that he was by far the most delightful thing in the garden.

When the butterfly declared that she had won many beauty contests the beetle said that the judges must have been bribed.

The butterfly was furious, and with total disdain told the beetle, "I would beat you any contest you care to enter. I will even let you select the judges."

"Ok said the beetle, so be it. I will see you on Saturday," and off he went in great haste.

That Saturday everyone from the garden gathered for the contest. The butterfly arrived completely confident of victory.  On arrival, she looked and saw the selected judges.

Each and every judge was either a creepy crawly or a smelly cockroach. So there was no surprise when the beetle won the competition.

The butterfly was in tears and feeling very humiliated never feeling like ever again entering any contest. 

Fortunately, the beetle was an understanding animal and apologised to the butterfly for having been so cruel to her. They became great friends and the butterfly learned much about the different bugs and animals in the garden and how they each had a purpose and task to fulfil. That the garden was a thing of great beauty when they all worked together in harmony. When one or another went their own way disunity broke out and the garden never looked its best and the fruit and flowers often failed to blossom. 

Beauty said the beetle lies in the eye of the beholder.  Sometime later the butterfly won another contest. Not a beauty contest but the contest for Humility.

As the New Year approaches we will all be thinking of our incoming year and our aims and desires. If we decide those not on the basis of self alone but keeping in mind the friends and family that surround us and the part they play, the resolutions will be good and with that help, more importantly, they will be achievable.

Have a wonderful end of the year and a very happy incoming New Year.

A Happy New year to all my friends who will help me become a better person aware of my place and the offering I have for others.

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