The Tale of Two Tails Fable
The Tale of Two Tails
Jack the cat was living a lie. By day, he had a breathtaking, long, bushy, perfectly manicured tail. But, by night, he had a limp, lifeless, boring tail. Yes, jack had two tails.
Jack went to a professional costume designer and asked her to create a detachable tail that mimicked that of the lead singer of the Litter Bugs, a popular cat band.
He saved all his money to buy this new tail, and even moved to a new town in order to pretend it was his natural tail. Life was good for Jack. The ladies loved him and the men envied him.
One evening, he was on a date with a cat named Sheila. Sheila was the most popular girl in town. She agreed to see him because he had a great personality.
They were having a good time dancing their little paws off – until Sheila accidentally knocked him down.
“Oh Jack, I’m so sorry!” cried Sheila as she helped him up.
“It’s cool, baby.” said Jack as he bounced his way off of the ground.
“Ah!” The crowd gasped in unison.
“It was a fake! His tail was glued on!” yelled one of the cats.
Jack was mortified! He ran as fast and as far as he could. After running for a few blocks, he stopped to catch his breath.
“If I run away now, no one will ever respect me,” thought Jack.
He returned to the bar, grabbed the microphone from the DJ, and exclaimed, “I’m embarrassed to say this, but my tail was fake. I’m getting old and I wanted to have a full, youthful tail.”
The crowd welcomed him with open arms, as did Sheila.
MORAL: It’s better to be content with yourself, flaws and all, than to be an impostor.
Personal reflection
Jack’s insecurities led him to make an odd and deceitful decision. Sure, it was fun to live the lie. But, when the truth came to the surface, he was crushed and embarrassed.
In some form or another, you can likely identify with Jack. Maybe you’re insecure about your weight, hair, or nose.
It’s important to remember that you are your worst critic. While looking in the mirror, you may see a pudgy, short, balding man looking back at you. But the sexy woman in your office may see a fit, silver fox that she’d love to have a drink with.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Lying about yourself or doing something to temporarily manipulate your appearance will only make you feel foolish. You might come to believe that you must constantly screen what you do and say to protect your secret.
Living to protect a lie is no way to live at all!
Be proud of who you are. Be proud of what you have. Be proud of what you look like. Maintain your confidence, regardless of your appearance or what others may say.
Self-Reflection Questions:
- What features of my appearance am I happy with?
- How can I increase my confidence?
- Are there things I’m hiding because of what others will think of me if I told the truth?
