There is a
hole-puncher that sits day after day on my desk. This hole-puncher is big and black with an
awesome handle for easily punching 3 perfect holes into my papers. It has been around for quite a while and is a
rock star in that it can punch a nice stack of papers all at once. This hole-puncher is proud and always ready
for action. “I am here to serve you”, he
says whenever my eye catches his glance.
He is proud and ready to provide.
Let’s call him Harry, the Hole Puncher.
So, once
upon a time, there only existed Terry, the Hole-puncher. Terry is small, blue and works effectively
but can only punch one or two pages at a time.
The day Harry came to my office, Terry felt incredibly insecure. Terry said, what am I going to do now? Harry is big and beautiful and can punch many
papers all at once. I’m a goner. I have no use any longer. I cannot be of service.” Harry, at the time, was a little bit of an
egocentric prick. Harry reinforced Terry’s
insecurities by telling him that he was there to take over and that Terry would
soon be unnecessary.
This continued
on for a few hours until I stopped both of them and said, “Terry!, you may not
be as big and efficient as Harry is, but you do act as a ruler as well as a
hole-puncher, are small enough to take places, and fit into a binder
nicely. At home, you can be my ruler and
you will be the tool that travels with me, punching on the go. You are both special and I appreciate each
one of you for the different things you provide. One is not “better”, because you are so very
different. Be proud of who you are and
what you can do. Find your own
individuality and let yourself shine in your own unique ways.
