Peacock without Feathers

Usually the peacock would be the center of attention at the park. Children and parents would squeal in delight, when it would dance for them, spreading its fine, faboulous feathers. But this weekend, he shied away from the crowd. He had lost his feathers. He felt reduced to a zero. Who am I, without my feathers, he moaned to his peahen. She tried to console and comfort him. After all, people watched her too, when she had no feathers. But used to the adoration and amazement, he cut her off with, she would never understand what he felt like, anyway.
"You dont know what it feels like to be loved and then dumped" he said, angrily and walked off in a huff, to another corner. "Well you dont know what it feels to be loved" said another voice.

Startled, the peacock looked around and realised it was a dog. "Just because people paid attention to your feathers, doesnt mean they loved you." "Oh yeah, you think beauty is not important to humans? Don't they hate caterpillars yet love butterfiles?" asked the peacock, irritated.

"Sure its important. But if people just loved beautiful people, then all their leaders would be only beautiful people and beautiful people wouldn't have been dumped or divorced. After all, if only beauty counted, how could the "other woman" in Prince Charles life be a woman uglier than his wife and older than him? What is important is not whether you look good, but whether you make the other person Feel Good. And if you think you are technically beautiful, you will probably think you dont need to make the other person feel good, and they should feel honoured to be in your prescence and thats not the best way to make a person love or like you.."
The peacock stared sullenly, perhaps, dreaming of the lost glory, or perhaps praying for a miracle, which would restore his glorious feathers.
"Imagine you being a pet. After seeing your dances daily, wouldn't the owners become tired of you? Won't they want something more from you? Won't they want you to make them feel special? Well we dogs, know how to do it. And we make them fall in love with us, with a small tail. What you wont be able to do with your fine feathers."

"Instead of sulking over people not searching for you, or paying you attention when you don't have your feathers, why don't you reach out to them. And see how they respond to you. Beauty might fetch you few compliments and make you feel good for some moments, but why don't you smile at people and make them feel good and feel the difference forever.." encouraged the dog.
"Why should you care about how others feel about you?" asked another voice ..

It was the cat on the wall. "Do you need people to like you or respect you?"

The dog and the peacock stared in amazement, at the cat. "Instead of aiming to please everyone you meet, why don't you realise, the only person, who really counts in your life, is you. And if you are happy with yourself, you are bound to be a better person to others. Sure it feels good to be adored and admired, but shouldn't you feel good about yourself even otherwise?"

And instead of waiting to find out if they agreed or disagreed, the cat walked away.
She may not have been admired like the peacok, or adored like the dog, but she generated her own happiness and didn't depend on others to make her feel happy. She loved her life, and lived her life, not caring whether others thought she had a wonderful life. If she wanted a reason to smile, she had it from her freedom from fears of being disliked or disowned. She needed neither feathers nor a wagging tail.

She realised that as long as she wasn't a rat, which people thought messed their lives, she could be free and have fun.

She didnt aim to be anyone but herself, and people respected her for that. She didnt worry about lost favours since she relied on herself not just her image. She was happy with herself, and therefore happy with what she got from others, for being herself.

Later that night, the peacock danced alone.

He was suprised to discover it could be fun,

even sans feathers or fans.