Hearing this often made Gina feel like her height was a disadvantage. She began to hunch over, trying to make herself smaller, hoping she would fit in better. But no matter how much she tried, she was still tall.
One day, a terrible fire broke out in the savannah. The smoke filled the air, and the animals were in danger of getting lost. Panic spread, and many animals didn’t know where to go because they couldn’t see past the thick smoke and trees.
But Gina could. Her tall neck rose above the smoke, and she could see the safe path to the river where the animals could escape the fire. She stood tall, her head held high, and called out, “Follow me! I can see the way!”
One by one, the animals followed Gina as she led them to safety. When they reached the river, everyone thanked her for using her height to guide them.
“We were wrong to make you feel bad about being tall,” the animals said. “Your height saved us.”
From that day on, Gina never tried to make herself smaller again. She stood tall, proud of who she was.
The lesson: Don’t try to hide what makes you unique. Like Gina, your strengths are what make you special, and one day, they might help you or others in ways you never imagined.
