.

ONCE UPON A TIME on a world called Trentez very similar to earth before the Great Shift , there was a lion who lived his life by some giant cliffs that over looked the ocean. One day while he was at the edge of the cliffs looking down at the ocean, he saw the most fascinating creature. He had never seen anything like it in all the times he had gone to the cliffs, which was his favorite thing to do. He loved being up high and looking across the sky and down at the deep blue ocean. It made the lion feel like he was king; king of the world. But this time he saw something new.

The creature leaped out of the water so high, the lion could not believe such a creature could get so high into the sky.

"What could it be?," he thought to himself. He was thinking so hard that the creature heard the lion's thoughts.

The fascinating creature responded to the lion, "I'm a dolphin you silly beast! What did you think I was?"

The lion was startled by what he heard. He could not believe he got an answer to what he was thinking. He tried it again.

"Can you hear my thoughts, Dolphin?"

"Yes I can hear you," the dolphin answered.

Now the lion didn't know what to think. This creature he had never seen before was communicating with him.

"How could this be?" he wondered.

Again the dolphin answered. "You see Mr. lion, dolphins can pick up thought waves."

"But how can I hear your thoughts, dolphin?"

"Because you want to," replied the dolphin. "All you need to hear the answers to your questions is the ability to listen."

The lion was so excited he couldn't control himself. He started running and jumping with amazing energy he never knew he had. The dolphin could feel the lion's excitement so he started leaping out of the water and spinning in the air. There they were, the lion and the dolphin dancing together enchanted with delight.

"This is the best day of my life," the lion thought to himself. The dolphin heard the lion but didn't respond. He just felt happy. Dolphins like making creatures feel life is fascinating because it is and dolphins know this. Dolphins are very wise; they know a great deal about lifeÕs mysteries.

When the lion slowed down he started to think again. "What must this dolphin's life be like under the sea?" he wondered.

The dolphin responded, "It is most amusing. There are as many fish as there are stars and the fish are all so different, each one has their own unique shape and color. I never get bored looking at them. Sometimes I chase them all around and up and down, around the rocks and through the seaweed. We have great fun. But they always seem to find a hole much smaller than I and then the game is over."

"Then I usually swim around until something new sparks my interest. Like those funny little worm-like creatures that live in the sand. They're always wriggling about. I'm always playing with something. That's what dolphins do best. What else is life for but to play? So Mr. Lion, what do you do with your days?"

"Well not too much. Mostly I lie in the sun under trees that help me keep cool."

"Do you ever play?" asked the dolphin.

"When I was a young cub I played all the time."

"But what about now?" asked the dolphin.

"I'm too old to play," said the lion.

"You're never too old you silly beast, you're just too lazy."

"Yes I guess you are probably right," said the lion. "But I have a big responsibility. I have to protect my family."

"Yes that is true but that doesn't mean you must not play. Playing is how you experience life. That is what living is all about."

"Oh dear lion, don't you want the most life can offer you?" The lion thought for a while, then answered, "Yes dolphin, I want the most life can offer me!"

"Well then," said the dolphin, "we must get started. No time like the present!"

"So Mr. Lion, first you must see the beauty in everything. Look all around you. What do you see?"

"Well, I see the sky and the land that surrounds me; the trees that give me shade; the animals that give me food."

"Okay, good. Now look deeper," said the dolphin. "You must find the beauty in these things. Look to the sky again. What do you see?"

The lion stared at the sky looking for beauty. Then, out of the blue came the most magnificent eagle he had ever seen. His wings were stretched out as far as they could go. The eagle would flap his wings a couple of times and then just glide on the wind, riding the air currents. The lion had seen eagles before, but had not paid much attention. This time it was different. The lion could see the eagle's true beauty. As if for the first time he noticed the grace and power in the eagle.

"Why haven't I seen this before?" he thought.

The dolphin went on to explain "Because you were not looking. Now look at the land once more."

So the lion looked with deep intent for the beauty. He looked down and on his paw was the most intriguing bug he had ever seen. It was all black but the colors of the rainbow could be seen if you looked at it from a certain angle. The lion realized, "This is beautiful."

"Now look to your trees," said the dolphin. "What do you see?"

So the lion strolled over to a tree and looked up. He saw lots of branches and at the end of the branches were leaves. But when he looked closer he could see a whole different environment. He could see a line of tiny little ants all rushing about. Some were going up and some were coming down. Some were carrying pieces of food twice their own size. The lion watched to see where they were going and to his amazement they all disappeared inside the tree.

"Wow!" exclaimed the lion. "I never knew you could live inside of a tree!"

"Oh dear lion, there is a lot you do not realize!"

The lion continued to look at the tree. There was a branch drooping down so the lion went over to investigate. He spotted a very small oval-shaped sack. It was moving! Being a cat, his curiosity took over and he could not take his eyes off it. Then to his astonishment he saw the most beautiful creature he had ever seen come out of this weird looking sack. It had wings with a very intricate design and the colors were so vibrant that it really took the lion by surprise.

"How could such a beautiful creature come out of such an awful looking sack?" inquired the lion.

The dolphin responded, "you must not judge things by how they appear on the outside; you must look inside for the true beauty."

Now the lion was starting to understand what the dolphin meant when he said you need to find the beauty in all things. The lion never knew how much life surrounded his own life. By realizing this it made the lion's own life much more interesting. And with this new interest in life also brought a sparkle to the lions eyes.

So the lion said, "Thank you, dolphin, for helping me see beyond the surface and deeper into the true beauty that life has to offer."

The dolphin replied, "You are quite welcome. That is what dolphins do best."

The next day the lion woke up and thought to himself, "What new things can I discover today?"

Life felt different to the lion. He seemed to be more alive than he had been in a long time. He actually felt young again. The lion had a new passion for living and he thought to himself, "I want the most life can offer me and I'm starting today!"

So from now on the lion would go exploring to see if he could find the beauty in everything he came across.

.

Copyright © 1996, Dawn, Revised -- (19 May 96)