Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Learning for Life (08/23/04)
TITLE: Big Fish in the Pond By Sylvia Spielman 08/27/04 |
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT SEND ARTICLE TO A FRIEND |
Gilliana had told Miss Finigan she was thinking about leaving their small pond because she felt like she hadn’t been getting fed lately. When feeding time came she was too busy to attend.
“Now, my dear, we all go through times when the pond seems a little dry, but you just can’t go swimming around from pond to pond and expect to grow. You have to stick with it even when things get tough.”
Miss Finigan had a very good point, but Gilliana had been struggling for a while. She had come to this pond with her family several years ago. The atmosphere had been so appealing. The other fish were so friendly and made her feel right at home. Within a few weeks they asked her to take over one of the schools of small fry who needed a teacher. Before long she was helping to clean the pond and organize social events. There was so much to do and not enough big fish to get it all done. They were desperate for help. Gilliana gladly took on each task that presented itself. She was often the first to raise her hand when the Elder Fish asked for volunteers. The attention was wonderful when everyone saw how hard she had worked. It was great being a big fish. She wondered how they got anything done before she arrived.
As time went by, Gilliana began to feel overwhelmed. No matter what was going on in the little pond, she was the first to be recruited. Everyone knew Gilliana could get things done. She began to dread the meetings held in the middle of the week. She hadn’t signed up to teach on that night, but when the others decided to stay home, Gilliana was asked to substitute. There was seldom a week when all of the scheduled teachers were present. She knew there had been others in this same predicament in the past. They had gone on to other ponds or would come now just to observe. No longer did they raise their hands eagerly to volunteer for anything.
The attention Gilliana received in the last few years was very gratifying to her ego. It was good to be told, “You did a really good job,” or, “boy, we know who to ask from now on!” But now she realized being a big fish was not all that great. With the pat on the back came a lot of responsibility. Everything that needed to be accomplished in this pond was always done by just a few – there were too many fish that didn’t want to do anything but swim around and boast to others about being members of a little pond where “everyone knows each other.”
After the talk with Miss. Finigan, word got around that Gilliana was unhappy in the little pond. Everyone talked about it, but no one came to Gilliana to ask her what was wrong. No one offered to pray. Over the next few months, she began to let go of some of her responsibilities. The other big fish began to panic as they had to pick up the slack.
Gilliana visited a few ponds that had many fish of the same size. It was difficult to remember everyone’s name, but they were just as friendly as those who were in the little pond where she currently lived. However, she noticed a sense of cooperation she had not experienced in the little pond. There were many eager to teach, organize and clean. No fish seemed to stand out above the others. Everyone’s focus was on lifting up the spirit of neighborhood in the big pond.
As time passed, Gilliana fulfilled all obligations to the little pond. Finally she moved permanently to another pond and joined the group of fish who worked together. They even had active outreach programs to help other fish that needed help. She enjoyed getting a pat on the back when others were included. However, there was no longer the ego-boosting attention she had received in the little pond. She was now a little fish in a pond where everyone worked together and no one was weary, and that was just fine with Gilliana.
“Be not wise in your own conceits.” Romans 12:16