the ugly duckling
I really should have posted the shot I took with a duck in it, to give size perspective on the swan here. He’s huge compared to the other birds.
I love the story of the Ugly Duckling – who hasn’t identified with it? It’s such a good lesson to remember that if you don’t fit in, you might be measuring yourself with the wrong stick. Forget about all those other ducks – what are you supposed to be?
Though I hated the episode it came from, this phrase stayed with me:
‘He walks among us, but he is not one of us.’
Maybe the swan felt that way too. Being a leader, taking a stand, setting off for parts unknown: sometimes exciting, but mostly lonely. Being (or thinking) different is often much riskier & more difficult, but it can be more rewarding (see, Apple advertising campaign 1997). I’m hoping this swan photo helps me keep this all in mind.