Sam, a young boy growing up on a farm, spent many hours watching the ducks on the farm's pond. Sam often approached the ducks only to have them swim or fly away in fear. 
 
One day, a duckling waddled over to him and started to eat some breadcrumbs that had dropped from his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sam was amazed that as he reached down to pick up the duckling, it was not afraid of him. With the duckling still eating a few remaining breadcrumbs in his hand, Sam decided on the spot to keep the duckling as a pet.
 
Day after day Sam would play with "Waddles," feed it more breadcrumbs and have it drink water out of a small bowl. But as the days passed and Waddles grew larger, Sam became afraid that the Waddles would grow up and fly away from him like the big ducks on the pond.
 
"If Waddles only stayed small and never grew any larger.  He would never fly away.  He would be with me forever."
 
In that moment Sam thought of a plan.  He would press Waddles ever so gently each day so he would stay small.  He would feed him less and give him less water so he wouldn't grow up to be a big duck and fly away.
 
And that's what Sam did. 
 
Day after day Sam pressed on Waddles, and gave him less to eat and drink.  Soon, Sam got what he thought he wanted - Waddles did not grow anymore.
 
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Do you have dream that is your Waddles?  A dream that you are afraid to make a reality?  A dream that you will not let grow for fear that it may make you become someone different; someone more than you are now?
 
Do you have a family member, friend or fellow associate/employee that you are inadvertently holding back?  Someone who wants to do something or be something more than he or she is now?  But you are withholding your approval or encouragement because you may see less of the person or that person may become someone greater than you.
 
Our Waddles represents dreams in our hearts and people in our lives that want to grow and flourish but our fears, jealousies, resentments, hatreds, and suspicions are holding us and them back.
 
We all need to let go of what is holding us, and what we are holding back from others, to allow us and them to become what they are destined to become. The Waddles in your life and your own life depend on it.
 
Let go and let grow.
 
Until Next Friday,