Did you hear the story about Rocky, the tiny owl found in a Christmas tree? I haven’t watched the news in a few years, so I’m a little out of the loop and a high school friend told me about it over the weekend. She said, “you should use the story for one of your blogs.” This is what Joseph Spector shared, “ Rocky is gonna fly now.
The cute, little owl who was found last week in the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree that was transported from Oneonta was nursed back to health in Ulster County and set free late Tuesday.
“Rocky’s release was a success!” the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in Saugerties, where Rocky was released.
“She is a tough little bird and we’re happy to see her back in her natural habitat. We are sure that Rocky will feel your love and support through her journey south.”
This got me thinking, “What makes people persistent, resilient or tough?”
I am a big fan of owls, first because my Mayan Indian symbol is an owl, which our interpreter helped me discover on a mission trip to Guatemala. Secondly, and after my dad died, I started hearing owls in my back yard and have since moved twice and still hear them. Lastly, I began collecting owl figurines and have a huge painting in my office of an owl. The note on the painting said, “ These optimistic owls have something positive to say…Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, knew the positive power of the owl and that is why the owl is her official symbol. So give a Hoot, and make a room brighter, give two hoots, and make a friend’s day warmer. Give three hoots and create a wise and welcoming statement.” Owls are persistent, little Rocky was persistent, he stayed the course.
In Napoleon Hill’s book, Think and Grow Rich, he shares “How to Develop Persistence
There are four simple steps that lead to the habit of persistence. They call for no great amount of intelligence, no particular level of education and but little time and effort. The necessary steps are:
- A definite purpose backed by a burning desire for fulfillment.
- A definite plan, expressed in continuous action.
- A mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences.
- A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage you to follow through with both plan and purpose.”
“When workers were setting up the tree in midtown Manhattan earlier this month, one of them unexpectedly found the tiny owl among the branches of the 71-foot-tall Norway spruce that had just been shipped from upstate New York.
It’s unclear how the owl got into the tree, whether it came along on the journey from Oneonta or flew into the tree at some point in the city.
The bird was, of course, named Rockefeller and then Rocky and was sent to Ravensbeard to recover with the goal of being freed back into her natural habitat.” Joseph Spector
I’m also a HUGE fan of the Rocky series. Sylvester Stallone grew up in foster care, was expelled from several schools and was working as a janitor in a movie theatre when he went to a boxing match and was inspired to stay up for days writing the screenplay for the movie Rocky. Stallone was persistent because he turned down several offers from buyers for the script because he wanted to star in the movie. Finally, a lower offer was made than the original offer, he agreed to the amount and the producer agreed he could star in the movie. He was persistent and the Rocky franchise is the highest grossing movie franchise to date.
Wow! How can you be more persistent in 2021? I’m ready for the New Year, are you?
Let’s be a catalyst for change next year and use persistence to accomplish our personal and professional goals!
