Story Sprout Original

THE OWL WHO STOPPED PRETENDING

Little Ms. Owl peeped out of her egg!!

She blinked her eyes and stretched her leg.

She stepped slowly around the nest!

She turned and stared at the squawking rest!

‘Who in the world are you?’ she cried!

‘I am your brother!’ he blinked and replied!!

‘Ha! You are kidding. I look nothing like you.’

‘Yes!’ he said, ‘you certainly do.’

That’s when Mother Owl returned,

And fed them slimy earthworms in turns.

Ms.Owl was stunned and disgusted too,

She decided to have her own menu.

‘Me… a silly Owl? Oh! Please!

I’m far too special to hoot from the trees!!’

And so, she tried in every way,

To not be an owl, come what may!

She stayed up in the day and slept at night;

She ate fruits and berries with great delight!

She smelled the roses, sitting in the park.

She colored her feathers, sang like a lark!

One night, as she pretended to sleep,

She heard the hooting of owls,

strong and deep.

She opened her eyes and saw her brother fly,

In the light of the moon; with the stars in the sky.

Owl stared amazed; she felt a breeze,

Her eyes were clear, wings spread with ease.

She slowly rose into the night’s fresh air,

Sailing light, she felt no despair.

Her brother smiled, and swooped down at a mouse,

‘Taste it,’ he said, ‘it’s on the house.’

‘Wow! I didn’t try this,’ she said,

‘I had all these pretend rules in my head.’

‘Keep your rules simple,’ he said with a smile,

‘You can’t keep up with pretense all the while.

Whether you like it or not, the Owl in you,

Will always find a way to show through!’

Ms.Owl smiled and soared up with a rush,

She giggled as she passed the old rose bush!

She breathed free, she smiled at the moon,

Time to sleep, morning will be here soon.

Hey kids, have you heard the term self esteem? It simply means what you think about yourself in your own mind. To grow up to be a happy person it is important that you learn to say good things about yourself to yourself and love yourself for how you look, speak, walk and talk. Simply put, always like who you are!

Illustrations by Natalya Larichkina. Copyrights of Prarthana Gururaj