The wise owl, seated on the branch, watched the evening sun in quiet stillness. Just as she soaked in the calm, she heard muffled sobs. She turned and saw a young woman in high heels, her tear‑stained face meeting the owl’s gaze.
Sensing she needed an invitation, the owl asked gently, “How are you feeling?”
The woman sighed. “Lost. Completely clueless.”
“About?”
“About what I am doing with my life. I feel suffocated in my day job. I no longer connect to my work—except to pay bills. I finally quit today. I don’t know if I am headed in the right direction,” she shared.
The owl hooted. “When I no longer belong, I leave the tree—even if I don’t yet know where the next one will be.“
“I don’t know where to go next. I can’t see a path for myself,” she murmured, slipping off her heels and sitting down.
“Your path is yours to make” the owl replied softly.
“I see options I’d like to explore, but I don’t know if that is my path.” After a while, the young woman said. “But how else will I know unless I walk?”
They sat in silence watching the sunset. After a while, the woman stood, barefoot, her high heels dangling from her hand. The owl watched her go.
For your reflection
- What tentative choice once became a pivotal move in your career?
- Even if you are uncertain, what are you still willing to explore?
- Beyond a paycheck, what can keep you going?
“Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman