The Little Owl and the Stars

Every night, the little owlet watched the older owls swoop confidently across the dark sky. But she stayed frozen on her branch, too afraid to spread her wings and fly into the darkness herself.

She looked up at the twinkling stars scattered across the sky and felt a wave of sadness. She wondered if she would ever be able to fly as gracefully as the grown owls.

A wise old owl noticed her and flew over to perch beside her. "Every star once flickered nervously too," she said gently, "before it learned to shine steady and bright."

Encouraged, the owlet spread her wings and tried flying beneath the starlight. At first she wobbled and flapped clumsily, but she refused to give up and tried again and again.

By the time the night drew to a close, the owlet was soaring smoothly among the treetops beneath the stars. She had learned that confidence comes not from waiting until you feel ready, but from daring to try.

Confidence doesn't come from waiting until you feel ready — it comes from trying.