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: 85%

Although I now understand the reason why the first two ducks fought against the other ducks, I was mad at them at the time and stopped giving food. I went back to enjoy my sandwich and the pleasant scenery of the lake. With the food supply cut off, the first two ducks disappeared. “So predictable,” I thought to myself. Though I did wonder where they went, for I had looked around and didn’t see or hear them anywhere. But it didn’t matter where they went since I was then able to have lunch by the lake like I wanted to for the first time.

It must have been about ten minutes after they were gone that I started hearing something from underneath the table. As I looked to see what it was, there they were, sitting quietly underneath the picnic table the whole time! My God, how could I have been so blind? The two ducks were there the whole time and I didn’t even see them. I began to wonder whether they felt bad about the whole fighting episode and didn’t want to be seen. For sure they still wanted the food; otherwise, they would have been long gone already. Their action completely won me over once again and I resumed giving them food.

What these two ducks did was quite remarkable to me. Not only did they took initiative to win my attention and did what it takes to defend their hard earned food, they were willing to change their way to get the result. If the two ducks were to stood in front of me like they had done earlier while I was still mad at them, they would certainly not get the food. Instead, they changed their approach and backed off without losing sight of their desire purpose. In our lives, there may be many instances where we face similar situations. Just because things didn’t work this time doesn’t mean that things will not work in the future. Sometimes it takes a different approach to succeed. Sometimes, we may need to change the timing. When we get a “no” from a person, it could be that the person is not ready to say “yes” at that point. But if we were to try again when they are ready, a “yes” will surely be there. The key is to always evaluate and readjust, then try again. The ones who succeeded simply had more attempts and tried more ways. They also are willing to even change their goals when it is needed. So be like the ducky, and be willing to change to succeed.

Popularity: 33%

Things were going well for me and the two ducks. I was enjoying a nice day at the park and they were enjoying the food I gave. But things evolved, as always. Not long after the two ducks got their food, the other ducks started to notice. They may or may not be hungry at first, but now that they saw the two ducks receiving some food, they wanted some too. So they came, the two other duck couples who were hanging out by the lake. Even the seagulls now wanted in on the action and they stood back a little further behind all the ducks.

What happened next was quite astonishing to me. As soon as the first two ducks saw the latecomers, they went nuts. They lowered their heads at once in an attack mode and launched themselves toward the enemies with such a force that even I had to stand back, away from the battlefield. Luckily, there were no casualties. The latecomer ducks did not retaliate but simply retreated back to the lake. Although, it was a victory for the first two ducks, I got so mad at them for doing what they did. Why did you have to fight? I thought. I was gonna give you and the other ducks the food anyway. If you all gonna fight over it, then none of you will get it. So, I stopped giving out food after the whole episode.

Even though I was mad at them at the time, I now understand why the first two ducks did what they did. I imagine if I was a duck, finding food is probably the most important thing in my world. I mean think about it. A duck lives in a world where comfort is not a choice. It must fly hundreds of miles to find a warm place to find food. This takes energy and effort. When a duck is hungry, it doesn’t have a family, a friend, or a charity group that it can go to get food. The only way for it to survive is to find food or starve to death. The only ones who make it are the ones who are willing to do whatever it takes to get food. This is why the two ducks did what they did. They worked hard to get my attention and were there first. Why should the latecomers benefit from their efforts? We, as human, can really learn from them. We live in a world with tremendous resources and opportunities. In addition, we have the abilities and talents to find ways to get what we want. The only thing that stands between where we are now and where we want to be is the determination to do what it takes. So, be like the ducky and do what it takes to get what we want.

Popularity: 34%

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: 32%