As the two ducks and I consumed the food, we were starting to run out. So I decided to stop giving them food. What can I say… I was still hungry and there wasn’t much left. Just like previous time, they went under the picnic table and sat there waiting quietly. These ducks don’t really give up, do they? I thought. So, I made a bet to myself. If after 10 minutes and they are still there, I will give them all the food I’ve got. I thought that 10 minutes was a good balance, since it was not too long and not too short.

5 minutes passed by without much action. Then, the male duck got up and walked down to the lake to get a sip of water and a quick swim while the female duck remained underneath the picnic table. As the 10 minutes was almost up, the male duck was still hanging out on the lake. If he didn’t come back when the clock hits 10 minutes, I would have given all the food to the female duck for sure. Then an unexpected thing happened. The female duck got up and gave a loud “quack, quack, quack, quack” calling him back. I heard a “quack” back from the male duck and he proceeded to walk back toward the picnic table just in time. It’s okay to listen to the right advice sometimes.

An ultimate test was given, and they passed it. The prize was handsomely rewarded; they were fed with a lot of food (even more than what they got before) at the end. After they were full, they went away completely satisfied. What an amazing experience I had with the ducky. They showed how we can get our dream by first wanting it and do what it takes to get it. They were willing to change and try again when things didn’t work and they did not let fear stop them from getting what they want. Finally, they passed the ultimate test and benefited mightily. And the fact that they are just a couple of ducks made the whole thing quite astonishing. Who know what we can accomplish if we apply the success principles from these ducky. So be like the ducky and get your rewards by passing the ultimate test. When you do so, complete satisfaction is not a matter of if but when.

Popularity: 83%

Living in Seattle, a place where it rains 9 months a year, sunshine is like manna from heaven. There was lots of sunshine last week and it sure looks like spring is just around the corner. So I decided to take in as much sun as I can, packed my lunch, and went to a park by Lake Washington for my own mini picnic. The atmosphere at the park was more than I could ask for. The soft spring sun reflected off the water behind a backdrop of vivid blue sky was a pleasing sight. There were not a lot of people at the park since it was a weekday. I settled on a bench right next to the water and prepare to enjoy my sandwich, for I was a little hungry.

Before I even took a first bite, I saw from the corner of my eyes two ducks walking toward me from afar. Walking may not be right; it was more like running (if there is such a thing for ducks). In any case, they were moving fast. I could tell from the colors of their feathers that it was a male and a female duck; they must be a couple. As they paced toward me, I could clearly hear their loud quacking sound. It seemed that they wanted me to notice, and make no mistake about it; they got my attention all right. Feeding wild animals is not usually my thing. But as they stood 1 foot from my feet and I look into their eyes, I could tell that they were hungry… real hungry. So I began to give them small portion while I eat.

As I fed myself and the two ducks, I began to ponder about what just happened. I mean, what was it about these two ducks that made me give them food? Then I realized that it was their attitude that made the difference. Looking around the lake, I could see four other ducks and several seagulls hanging out by the lake. None of them approach me like the two ducks that stood by my feed. In fact, the other ducks and seagulls did not do anything. What I saw in the two ducks that approached me was that they really wanted it. They were hungry and they took action to get the food. Their attitude clearly showed when they ran toward me, quacking all the way to make sure that I know they were there. Although they cannot speak, they weren’t afraid to look me in the eyes, communicating what they want. And those who ask usually receive. The most amazing thing is, they were just ducks! And we, human, as a more developed species, can still learn from them. What I learned from these two ducks is that to get what we want in life, we need to first be hungry… real hungry for it. Attitude is very important and it will show through. That’s when things start to happen. So be like the ducky, and be real hungry for the things you want in life.

Popularity: 36%