Mumma- look at me ! (A children's story)

The sunrise on the blue lake was the most beautiful one could imagine. But the forest adjoining the lake was the most dense and dark one could imagine.

Baby jumbo the little elephant ran as fast as he could to the river to take a bath. He had to please his mumma and show her that he could do a lot of things on his own now. Mumma elephant was fast asleep and so were baby Jumbo's 2 brothers.

Once baby Jumbo reached the river, he looked at his own reflection in the clear water, and hated what he saw ! He wasn't the same color as his brothers, or his parents, his friends or any of the other elephants he knew in the whole jungle. He was blue ! well, almost ...how did it matter, in the end he didn't look like one of them.

He was almost certain that his mommy did not love him as much - well, you couldn't blame her. He just didn't look like one of them. So, in his little mind, to gain her attention, he was always trying to impress her!. He tried to run the fatest, eat a lot more than his siblings, not trouble her at all even when all he wanted was a good cry and a tight big hug, specially when all his playmates and the lazy elephants lying along the river teased him about how different he looked ! All he ever wanted was his mom to love him !

Now, what baby Jumbo did not know was how much Mumma elephant really loved him. She thought he was so very special and was so proud of him. All that she did when met the other mommy elephants at the river was talk endlessly about her son's special looks - and how blue he looked, and how handsome !. Her special baby was the envy of all eyes !

This morning, gazing at his reflection, Baby Jumbo had a bright idea! One of the elephants who was known to be very wise in the herd of the lazy elephants by the river had mentioned that there was a bush at the western end of the jungle, that was black in color, and if one rolled and rubbed against it for some time, it could turn anything to a dark black color- be it an elephant's skin or even a rock.

Baby Jumbo was so charged at the thought, that he ran as fast as his tiny legs could carry him , and searched frantically for the black bush. It was nowhere in sight. After a persistent look high and low for a full half hour, he found it! Without wasting an extra minute he began to roll over the bush and rubbed himself as hard as he could against it. Once he was conviced the job was done, he ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction to the river. He looked into the water, and he couldn't find himeself - instead there was a black little elphant. He was completely confused! Then it dawned on him that it could be himself - he moved his trunk sideways, and the reflection did the same! He had done it! He had changed himself to look like all of them! YIPPEEEE !!! His joy knew no bounds !!!

He found mumma elephant and his brothers on the way to the river. Baby Jumbo stood along the path, patiently smiling and waiting for them to scream in joy, it could happen any minute now - the moment was here! But to his dismay, they just walked past him - without a second glance. What in the world was wrong ??? His own mumma didn't look at him ?

Baby Jumbo was puzzled. Then it struck him that they hadn't recognized him afterall. You don't smile at strangers do you ? ofcourse not. So they hadn't too inspite of seeing him. Ouch ! what now ? He ran to his mumma then and stopped her and told her the whole story. Mumma elephant just stared him in the eye, and then told him what he never knew. The fact that she loved him so much and also that she was soooo very proud of him, and of his special looks, and his color ! It was exactly the opposite of what he had thought !

Before mumma elephant could say the next sentence, baby Jumbo was running away in the direction of the river faster than his little legs could carry him....maybe to wash away the color ? let's wait and see...

The moral of this story is :

Parents, don't wait for too long to tell your kids that you love them, and to tell them that they are very special to you no matter what they can do and can't do !

Kiddos, don't try to pretend to be someone else without knowing your own worth. You maybe special for the very same reason you are different from the others ! Be proud of yourself !! always,in whatever you do !!