You’re a certified ugly duckling; now what?

Dora was excited about her eggs. They looked beautiful; Well-formed and ready to hatch.  As she sat on them each day, she could imagine the joy that would light the faces of her family and friends. At long last she was going to be a mother. As each egg cracked open, a fluffy yellow duckling gingerly stepped into the world. ‘Don’t they look cute?’ her sister Doreen exclaimed.  Dora’s mother, fluffing her feathers with pride huffed ‘They are absolutely adorable. Six, fluffy yellow adorable ducklings’. What more could she ask for.

As they waited for the seventh egg, Dora felt a twinge of unease. From the moment she set her eyes on that egg, she’d wondered what trick fate was playing on her. The egg was way bigger than the other six and a little different in color and shape too. Now, it was seven days after the first six ducklings had hatched and the seventh egg was yet to crack open.  ‘Did I hear a sound?’ she said to herself. Alas, it was, but what monstrosity? ‘What ridiculously spindly long legs! The color of her feathers; grey! ‘Arrgh’! And she can’t even waddle!’

Her last egg was so ugly that Dora had a nervous breakdown. Unlike the older siblings who were replicas of their beautiful mother, Dugly (coined from Ugly and christened by her disappointed mother) looked like no one in the lake community. She lacked social graces and couldn't even stay in line with her family for a good waddle.

Unable to handle the hostile stares and rejection by the duck community on the lake, Dugly started playing with some chickens in the next neighborhood. Even there, she always stood out as a sore thumb, but the chickens were too nice to ask her to stop being their playmate.  Her neck was too long; she was too tall for her age and getting taller by the day. They figured she needed a friend, so encouraged her to make their pen her second home.

Then one day, after a rather long winter, a starving fox tried to steal a chick from the pen and grabbed Dugly, who had gone to play, instead. Startled at what he’d picked, he stared at her for a very long time, then exclaimed. ‘I’d be damned; but this sure looks like a swan!’  The following conversation ensued:

Fox: What are you swan doing in the midst of chickens?

Dugly: Swan? What’s a swan please?

Fox (with a surprised look on his face): A swan is a big graceful bird with a long neck that lives on both land and water.

Dugly: Really, I haven’t seen one yet, but Sir, you’re mistaken. I’m no swan. I’m an ugly duckling, rejected by my family and seeking for companionship with chickens.

Fox: I need for you to see these swans. They’d be travelling this way for spring. You’re a replica of the Swan chief!

So Dugly with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, awaits the arrival of the Swan colony.

The moment she set her eyes on the swans, she ran and hid behind a boulder of rocks. ‘How could Mr. Fox lie to me so? These birds are beautiful; something I would never ever be!’ From her hiding place, she watches the younger swans as the play in the lake. A sound behind her startles her. It’s Mr. Fox. He prods her forward, against her wish, towards the beautiful swans. As they get to the lake front, the Swan chief turns and stares at her. Then his face breaks into a huge warm smile. Dugly has to shake herself, to be sure she isn’t dreaming. No one had ever smiled at her with such warmth. And here was one of the most beautiful creatures she’d ever seen doing just that and giving her all his attention.

All is suddenly quiet as the playing swans turn to stare at Dugly. ‘What beautiful swan,’ they all exclaim. In a panic stricken voice, Dugly exclaims ‘I’m a duckling! An ugly duckling. I can’t be a swan. I’m too ugly to be a swan!’ The Swan chief comes to stand in front of her and nudges her to stand and watch her reflection in the lake. Yeah, you guessed right. The ugly duckling was indeed a swan and she lived with her swan family, happily ever after.

Now, you've probably seen yourself for 5, 10, 15 or 50 years as an ugly duckling. You feel inferior or unworthy of being recognized as beautiful, intelligent or successful. Your weight, lack of education, finesse, communication skills and grooming are a source of embarrassing concern to you. All you want to do is blend in and accept people’s opinion about you. You might even know you are indeed a swan, but seem to be a helpless butterfly caught in a web. Not to worry; you’re not alone, because at June 22 Consulting, we know everyone’s a swan already discovered or waiting to be discovered. We polish the rough-cut diamond, to reveal the mind-blowing gem trapped in the grime.

Why not call us today on +2348035623807 or send a mail to talk2vickieo@yahoo.com, let’s chat on how to make you live like the swan you are? You’re just a phone call away from standing out from the crowd. Let’s get talking.

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