Dating : Be who you are

A life lesson from a yellow duckling

Strolling along on my ritual walk around my favourite London pond.

Stopping to look at the sight of seven newly hatched light brown ducklings, pottering around, dipping their teeny beaks into the water, mimicking their mother.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a lone yellow duckling, one of the crew courageously venturing off from her tight knit family. Unable to take my eyes off of her brightness, unusualness; she sparkled against the drabness of the water and the other ducks.

An odd character, she appeared to wear her feathers with pride, meandering off to explore the ponds delicacies returning to the fold of her family to appease her mother.

Each day I returned to check on this paddling family, one day I could not see the yellow duckling, my heart sank. My eyes flitted from duck to duck, walking around the pond a several times before I had to make my way home, carrying a heavy weight of sadness.

My mind flitted back and forth that day, wondering what was so special about that duckling, “it is only a duck” I rationalised.

This duckling stood out, almost too much so, being an easy target for a hungry fox. She didn’t blend in; her personality appeared a little eccentric and fearless. It was obvious her mother kept a close eye on her brood but particularly on her yellow mismatched one.

In duck world was she mocked, possibly even ostracised, but as an onlooker she exuded confidence, unfazed. I admired the ease at how she carried her uniqueness.

It occurred to me that no one had told her she was different, she was just one of the gang; loved and protected like all the rest.

In the human world flamboyancy kicks up emotional turbulence, society does not really know how to respond to the yellow feathered human. ‘Fitting in’ can be felt acutely painful, particularly for teenagers; eccentricities guarantee heartache and loneliness.

Devoted to being one of the crowd, I avoided being different, oddly enough I kept my yellow feathers tucked away ready to shake off the dust, the day I had the courage, that day never came. I knew intuitively strangeness leaves bitterness on people’s lips.

Most conform by dressing up their yellow feathers to match others.

Today I make a last ditch effort to check on my precious yellow duckling, I held little hope of seeing her again, preparing for the worst. Peeking out amongst the great willow tree.

To my amazement I saw all eight ducklings, in the mix was a slightly yellower one, as she began to meld in with the group; her baby feathers were being replaced with the brown colour.

To my relief I could return home much lighter, not only was she alive, she survived her differences unscathed.

That little duckling taught the greatest lesson of all:

Be who you are