35 - Rest day

Today's challenge;

Take today day off and/or take this opportunity to review your successes this week.

This is a great opportunity to review the concepts that you explored this week and each challenge that you successfully completed. Anyone can research about self-improvement, but you put the work in to practice them. Congratulations!

This is the final milestone of your journey! Congratulations!

I hope you celebrate your achievement. You have established good habits by now, hopefully learned a few things about yourself and have some stories to share from practicing these concepts and stepping out of your comfort zone.

In the spirit of celebration, I have one more traditional tale, this time from Africa, that I hope you will enjoy.

The Tortoise and the Feast in The Sky

Long ago, in a time when animals spoke and lived in harmony, the birds of the forest received a grand invitation. The Sky People were hosting a magnificent feast, high above the clouds, and all the birds were welcome.

The news spread quickly, and the birds chirped with excitement. They flapped their wings and polished their feathers, preparing for the journey upward.

Now, Tortoise, who was known for his cleverness and smooth tongue, heard about the feast. Though he had no wings, he desperately wanted to attend.

He approached the birds with a plan.

“Dear friends,” he said, “I may not have wings, but I have wisdom. Let me come with you. I’ll bring charm and conversation to the feast.”

The birds hesitated, but Tortoise was persuasive. They agreed to help him. Each bird plucked a feather and together they crafted a pair of wings for Tortoise. He strapped them on and, for the first time, soared into the sky.

As they neared the Sky People’s palace, Tortoise made one final request.

“Before we go in,” he said, “let us all take new names for this special occasion. I shall be called All of You.” The birds found this odd, but agreed.

At the feast, the Sky People welcomed them warmly.“This food,” they said, “is prepared for all of you.”

Tortoise smiled slyly. “Ah, yes! That is me—All of You. Thank you!”

And with that, he sat down and ate everything. He devoured the roasted yams, the honeyed fruits, the spiced nuts, and the golden cakes. The birds watched in horror as he left nothing for them.

Furious and betrayed, the birds took back their feathers. Tortoise was left with no wings.

He begged them to help him down, but they refused. Desperate, he called to the wind to carry a message to his wife below:

“Lay out all the soft things in the yard—blankets, pillows, anything to cushion my fall!”

But the wind, mischievous and playful, twisted the message. When his wife heard it, she laid out hard objects—mortars, pestles, and cooking stones.

Tortoise fell from the sky with a great crash. His shell shattered into pieces.

The forest animals gathered around. A wise healer pieced Tortoise’s shell back together, but the cracks remained. And to this day, tortoises bear the marks of that fall—etched into their shells as a reminder.

Morals of the story

• Greed and trickery may bring short-term gain, but long-term pain.

• True friendship is built on honesty and fairness.

• Even the clever must face the consequences of their actions.

• Those that rise to high levels through deceit, eventually will have a long fall.

• Few may hold temporary influence, but it is the masses who wield the real power.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Congratulations on completing your final week of the expedition. Celebrate your success! There is more to come...

Checkpoint: Something to consider today...

What are your takeaways from this tale?