The Tale of the Giraffe and the Turtle

Once upon a time, in a vast and beautiful savannah, there lived a giraffe named Grace. With her long neck, Grace could see the horizon far beyond the treetops. Every morning, when she stretched her neck high into the sky, she saw visions of green meadows, flowing rivers, and opportunities that lay far, far away. The path before her was clear, and she felt a deep knowing in her heart that she was meant for greatness. The universe had given her this vision, and it was hers alone to follow.

Yet, as Grace began to walk toward this future, she found herself feeling nervous. "What if I'm wrong?" she wondered. Despite the clarity of her vision, doubt crept in, and Grace thought it wise to seek advice. She lowered her neck down, all the way to the ground, to talk to her friend Tina, the turtle.

Now, Tina wasn’t just any turtle—she was wise in her own way, slow and steady, with a cautious view of the world. She cared deeply for Grace and had always been there when times were tough. Grace knew she could trust Tina, so she asked, "Tina, do you think I should follow this vision?"

Tina looked up, squinting at the distant horizon Grace spoke of. But from where she stood, all she could see was a few feet in front of her. The tall grass obstructed her view, and the unknown frightened her. "Grace," Tina said, "I’m not sure. What if there are cliffs ahead? What if you trip and fall? Maybe it’s safer if you stay here with me. After all, you don’t want to make a mistake."

Grace felt her heart sink. Tina loved her, she knew that, but something wasn’t sitting right. The more she listened, the more she began to doubt herself. And so, day after day, Grace would lower her neck to ask Tina for her thoughts, hoping for a green light. But each time, Tina warned her of the dangers. "Better safe than sorry," Tina would say..

The problem was, Grace wasn't made to live in the lowlands. She was a giraffe, and the very air she needed to breathe was up high. Each time she bent down to meet Tina's view of the world, Grace felt her energy drain. She would leave these conversations feeling suffocated, her vision fogged by doubt.

One day, Grace realized something important: it wasn’t that Tina didn’t care. Tina loved her, but Tina was a turtle—her view of the world was different. She could only see a short distance ahead, and her advice, while well-meaning, came from a place of fear and protection. Tina wasn't a giraffe, and for this particular journey, she couldn't be Grace’s guide.

With this revelation, Grace knew what she had to do. She lifted her neck high, back to where the air was clear and the path stretched wide before her. She breathed deeply, letting go of the need for Tina’s approval, and started walking confidently toward her destiny. Along the way, she noticed the cliffs Tina had warned her about, but from her vantage point, they were merely small hills she could step over with ease.

And so, Grace walked into her future—strong, sure, and no longer afraid.

The truth Grace learned that day was simple: the turtle wasn’t wrong, but she wasn’t right for this journey. Everyone has their own perspective based on where they stand. Tina was a turtle in this part of Grace’s life, and while she was a giraffe in other areas of her own, she could never see what Grace was meant to see.

Grace knew now that seeking validation from someone who couldn’t see her vision was like a giraffe bending down to live like a turtle. She realized that to fully live out her destiny, she had to trust the one who gave her the vision in the first place—the universe, her own inner knowing, and the power that had always been within her.

From that day forward, Grace held her head high, knowing that her path was clear. She had learned not to take advice from those who couldn’t see what she could see. And in doing so, she stepped boldly into the future she was always meant for.

With all my heart,

Salima