The Chicken 

By Gary Barnes

Once upon a time, there was a large mountainside, where an eagle's nest rested.
The eagle's nest contained four large eagle eggs. One day an earthquake rocked
the mountain causing one of the eggs to roll down the mountain, to a chicken farm,
located in the valley below. The chickens knew that they must protect and care for
the eagle's egg, so an old hen volunteered to nurture and raise the large egg.
One day, the egg hatched and a beautiful eagle was born. Sadly, however, the eagle
was raised to be a chicken. Soon, the eagle believed he was nothing more than a
chicken. The eagle loved his home and family, but his spirit cried out for more.
While playing a game on the farm one day, the eagle looked to the skies above and
noticed a group of mighty eagles soaring in the skies. "Oh," the eagle cried,
"I wish I could soar like those birds." The chickens roared with laughter, "You
cannot soar with those birds. You are a chicken and chickens do not soar." The eagle
continued staring, at his real family up above, dreaming that he could be with them.
Each time the eagle would let his dreams be known, he was told it couldn't be done.
That is what the eagle learned to believe. The eagle, after time, stopped dreaming and
continued to live his life like a chicken. Finally, after a long life as a chicken,
the eagle passed away. The moral of the story: You become what you believe you are;
so if you ever dream to become an eagle follow your dreams, not the words of a chicken.

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