The Wise Young Owl Fable: A story about the importance of being vigilant.

As a kid, Oscar the owl spent much of his time hanging out with older owls observing how they did things.

He gained a lot of wisdom that way. One day, his vigilance came in handy when he needed to take quick action to save his family…

“You’re so boring, Oscar!” his best friend Lester commented one day. “Why don’t you come and fly around with us?”

But Oscar never took his friends’ criticisms to heart. He knew that pretty soon, he’d be old enough to have to rely on the wisdom he’d been gaining from the old folks. His favorite lesson was how to keep watch at night for predators.

While everyone was relaxing at home one night, he went to meet the senior owls who were on nightwatch. “I want to learn as much from you guys as I can,” said Oscar. “Pretty soon, I’ll be the one in charge of protecting my family.”

He had a good night of observation training with the senior owls and was on his way home when he noticed that something wasn’t right. He put his lessons in vigilance to use and identified a cat lurking in the shadows of his family’s home.

Without a second thought, Oscar released a loud alarm call that got the attention of the senior owls on duty.

“Sounds like the alarm is coming from near Oscar’s home,” announced one of the owls. And with that, they rushed to the location and scared the cat away.

“That was quick thinking, Oscar,” remarked one of the senior owls. “You bravely put your training to good use and protected your family from danger.”

Oscar felt proud that his lessons in vigilance paid off.

Moral: When wisdom guides your actions, it is easy to sense when danger is near.

Personal Reflection:

There was a lot that Oscar liked about being a kid. But something told him that there was value in gaining wisdom from senior owls in the community. He believed that sooner or later, he would have to call on the lessons learned.

As he sensed, a potentially dangerous situation arose involving his family, and he used what he learned to keep them out of harm’s way.

Like Oscar, it isn’t always easy to tell when quick thinking is required. Sure it’s nice to have carefree days, but preparation for the unexpected is also important.

Wisdom comes from various sources that you encounter each day. From parents’ advice to experiences you have on the train, there are always lessons from which to develop your own wisdom.

One wise piece of advice is to remain vigilant at all times, even when you feel comfortable in your environment.

When things are going smoothly, it’s easy to let down your guard and openly trust what’s around you. But sometimes danger lurks where you least expect it. Keeping in touch with your instincts is the way to identify when something isn’t right.

Just like in the fable, the lessons you learn come in handy when you need them!

Just as you dedicate some of your time to enjoying your life, reserve some time for lessons in wisdom also. They’re there to guide you through those times when your instinct is needed to overcome a worrying challenge.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. What are my primary sources of wisdom?
2. What are some of the lessons I learn from spending time with older people?
3. Am I to discern when someone means me harm? How?