The shocking lesson behind the hawk that didn't want to fly
Sometimes, the only thing that prevents us from flying is the fear of letting go of the branch. This story will make you reflect on the limits we impose on ourselves.
The Falcon That Didn't Want to Leave Its Branch
The story goes that a king received as a gift two small falcons and gave them to his falconry master to train them.
Months passed, and one day, the master informed him:
—Your Majesty, one of the falcons has learned to fly skillfully, but the other has not moved from the branch where I left it since the first day.
Intrigued, the king summoned healers and wise men to examine the bird, but none managed to make it fly.
Desperate, the monarch made an announcement to his people: he would offer a reward to anyone who could make the falcon take flight.
The next morning, to his surprise, he saw the falcon soaring powerfully over the palace gardens.
—Bring me the author of this miracle! —he ordered.
His court brought him a humble peasant.
—Were you the one who made the falcon fly? —the king asked—. How did you do it? Are you perhaps a magician?
The peasant, intimidated, replied humbly:
—It wasn't difficult, Your Majesty. I simply cut the branch. The falcon realized it had wings… and flew.
What Does This Story Teach Us?
This story contains a powerful metaphor about life.
- We cling to what we know: Like the falcon, many times we stay on our “branch” out of fear of the unknown.
- Fear paralyzes us: We know we can fly, but the fear of falling prevents us from trying.
- Sometimes, we need a push: Occasionally, only when we are stripped of the security we are used to, do we discover our true potential.
- We all have wings, but we don't always know it: Only when we dare to step out of our comfort zone do we realize everything we are capable of achieving.
What is Your “Branch”?
Perhaps it is a job that no longer fulfills you, a relationship that doesn't make you happy, or a dream that you postpone out of fear of failure. What is preventing you from flying?
Maybe all you need is to dare to let go of what holds you back. Because your wings are already there, you just have to use them.