Petunia the Goose

I love reading childrens' books. The other day I was reading “Petunia” which is a story of a silly goose who picks up a book that was lying in the meadow and how the events that ensue changes her whole attitude.

The only thing she knew about books was what she had heard the farmer say about them: "He who owns Books and loves them is wise."

So, she thought that by simply carrying the book around with her all the time, that it not only made her more intelligent, but that it qualified her to give advice to her friends. BUT the advice she gave was not only incorrect but also hurtful.

But she did not realize this.

The more she carried the book the more proud she became, and the higher she would point her head until her neck became very long.

But her pride vanished literally with a big bang after she advised her barn yard friends (as she could not read the warning label) to eat dynamite. Her friends were left bruised and sore, and Petunia's neck returned to its normal length.

The explosion had also opened the book and she realized not only that there were pages with words inside but that she could not read them.

The book ends with her resolving to learn how to read and shows her studying a book about the alphabet.

When I finished reading the book I was left sitting in shock.

This childrens' book had made me realize a truth about myself.

It made me realize that I was very much like Petunia the goose.

I too thought that by being armed with a little knowledge (like Petunia knew that books make you intelligent) that I knew everything there is to know about babies.

I liked giving advice, and not only liked thinking that I was intelligent and knowledgeable but that others thought me intelligent and knowledgeable too.

And, like Petunia, it had made me proud.

Since that time I have been trying really hard (with some success) to not give advice when it is not sought. To not think that, because I don’t agree with what another mother is doing with her child, that it makes me any better of a mother.

And I can already see a difference.

Not only in my outlook but also in the mothers around me.

Who likes having a proud know-it-all goose around anyway?

Hopefully she has now been replaced by a humbly-supportive goose instead.