Storytime

An old legend says:

There was a great fire in the forest one day. All the animals fled in all directions in fear, because it was a very fierce fire.

Suddenly, a jaguar saw a hummingbird flying over his head, but in the opposite direction. The hummingbird flew towards the fire!

Whatever happened, it did not change direction. 

A few moments later, the jaguar saw it fly by again, this time in the jaguar’s direction. 

He could observe this coming and going until he decided to ask the bird about it, because this behavior seemed very strange to him.

“What are you doing, hummingbird?” he asked.

“I’m flying to the lake,” he replied, “drinking water with my beak and throwing it on the fire to put it out.” 

The jaguar laughed. ‘Are you crazy? Do you really think you can put out this big fire with your little beak alone?’

‘No,’ said the hummingbird, ‘I know I can’t. But the forest is my home. It feeds me, it provides shelter for me and my family. For that, I am very grateful. And I help the forest grow by pollinating its flowers. I am a part of it and the forest is a part of me. I know I can’t put out the fire, but I have to do my part.’

At that moment, the forest spirits listening to the hummingbird were moved by the little bird and its devotion to the forest. And miraculously, they sent a torrential downpour that put an end to the great fire.

The Indian grandmothers tell this story to their grandchildren and conclude with the words: 

“Do you want to attract miracles in your life? Then do your part.”

And the moral of the story:

None of us can make a difference on our own, it seems impossible! And yet we are part of this world and must do our part. 

If we do that with dedication, we can work miracles. If we do it together, we increase the chances of such a miracle infinitely.