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Writer's pictureAbhishek Srivastava

Wings of Wisdom: The Eagle, The Sheep, and The Prince

Updated: Aug 13, 2023


The eagle attitude
Wings of Wisdom

Once upon a time in the olden days, there was a really wise saint. People knew him for his smarts, his deep understanding of spiritual things, and the lessons he taught. He used to run an ashram where he taught students about important stuff. There was also a king who heard about this saint and decided to go see him. The king brought his 6-year-old child along. The king told the saint how great he was and that he wanted his kid to learn from him. He hoped that with the saint's grace, his child would grow up to be a really good king and a person with strong values. The king also asked the saint to treat his kid like any other child and not like a prince. The saint agreed to this request.

The king went away, leaving his crying child with the saint to learn. For three whole years, the saint taught the king's child. During this time, the young prince learned many important things from the wise saint. Then, one day, the saint called the prince and said, "Hey, it's been three years since you've been here. I've taught you a lot about life. Now it's time for your last lesson, a really important one that will shape your future." The saint took the prince to a quiet hill and told him to spend a whole day and night there alone. Nobody else would be there, not even the saint. The hill was a place where sheep came to eat, and an eagle often flew by. The prince's job was to watch the eagle and the sheep very closely. The saint wanted him to understand their actions. He told the prince not to come back until he had watched them enough.

The prince did what he was told. He stayed on the hill, waiting for the sheep and the eagle. After a while, a herd of sheep came along, all walking together in a friendly way. While watching the sheep, the prince saw an eagle soaring down from the sky like a plane. The eagle grabbed a big sheep and flew away with it. The eagle had trouble carrying the heavy sheep, but it didn't give up. It held on and finally got control over the sheep. The prince was amazed by how sharp and determined the eagle was.

As time passed, the prince kept watching the eagle. He saw that the eagle took its little ones up into the sky and left them there. The baby eagles didn't know how to fly, so they struggled. To survive, they opened their wings and tried to fly. When they got close to the ground, the parent eagle caught them. This showed the prince that, being comfortable and safe doesn't help you grow. You need challenges to get better.

Finally, the prince returned to the ashram with all he had learned from the eagle and the sheep. He told the saint what he had understood and asked if he could share it with the other kids. The saint agreed, and all the students gathered. The prince explained how the eagle's focus on one thing taught him about concentrating on a goal.

Amidst the group, the eagle's eyes locked onto the heaviest sheep, a challenge that seemed insurmountable. Despite the struggle, the eagle's spirit remained unbroken. This unwavering commitment showcased the essence of determination – the refusal to surrender to difficulty. The eagle's struggle mirrored life's trials, where initial setbacks can deceive us into doubting our choices. Yet, the eagle's unyielding grip mirrored resilience in action. It teaches us that persistence conquers all; our goals are attainable through unrelenting effort. As the eagle tamed the unruly sheep, it demonstrated that steadfastness molds adversity into achievement.

He also shared the second lesson he learned about how the baby eagles struggling to fly showed him that staying in a safe and easy place doesn't help you improve.

Guided by instinct, the eagle elevated its fledglings to the open sky, leaving them to face the unknown. Filled with uncertainty, the young eagles fought against gravity's pull. Their struggle was a symphony of determination, a dance of growth. They dared to stretch their wings, brushing the edges of failure. Yet, the parent eagle's vigilant presence ensured they never plummeted into despair. The prince absorbed a profound truth – the comfort zone is a gilded cage that stifles progress. Like the fledglings, we must embrace challenges to elevate ourselves. Only in adversity's embrace do we find the courage to soar to new heights.

And lastly, he talked about the sheep and the eagle, saying that the sheep's unity and the eagle's loneliness taught him that being alone isn't a weakness; it's a strength.

Sheep stuck together like buddies, all peaceful and cheerful. But a lone eagle changed the scene. It nabbed a sheep, and instantly, the rest scattered, abandoning their friend to a grim fate. The takeaway hits home: when trouble looms, fair-weather friends vanish. The brave eagle, though solo, teaches us resilience. Life's storms might show who stands by us, but it's our own strength that truly carries us through. Unity is splendid, yet personal grit shines brightest when the crowd scatters. So, when tough times knock, remember, your courage is your ultimate comrade.

And so, the prince's time on the hill turned into a story that people remembered for generations. In simple moments of watching nature, he learned lessons that stayed with him throughout his life, making him a wise and thoughtful person.

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