A Lemming's Dream to Fly

I heard this great story about lemmings when I attended a "Program for Young Leaders" organised by the Govt. of Canada in the late 90's.

Do you know what a lemming is? A lemming is a small rodent usually found in the Arctic. They generally have long soft fur and very short tails. They are herbivorous creatures feeding mostly on leaves, shoots and grass. Lemmings became notoriously famous because of unsubstantiated myths that they commit mass suicide when they migrate. Lemming suicide is a frequently used metaphor in reference to people who go along unquestioningly with popular opinion, with potentially dangerous or fatal consequences. So when one jumps over the cliff, all others will follow.

The story....It was mating season and the colony of lemmings was a hive of activities. One particular lemming, however was pensive; All day he was fascinated by an eagle soaring high up in the skies..."Why can't we fly?", he asked his fellow lemmings. All of them laughed, he was ridiculed and barraged with insults. But he has a dream...he wants to fly and soar like the eagle

He befriended the eagle and got the eagle to teach him to fly. He spend days learning and practising. All the time, the skepticism and criticism from the colony continued and nobody offered any encouragement. ignoring the other lemmings, he persisted and until finally managed to master flight and flew he did. Seeing that he can fly, all the other lemmings wanted to learn how to fly and he taught them for he wanted to share his knowledge. The colony that once ridiculed him now hailed him as a hero. Soon every lemming was flying......

Then, the time came for the colony to migrate back, it was time to go home and he was chosen to lead them. He started to walk and they all WALKED home.

Moral

• A man with a dream will never be denied.
• “Some see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not." (Robert Kennedy).
• Knowledge on its own have no value...It's not knowledge that matters but its application.
• Don't be just another LEMMING

...DREAM BIG  :)