Fiction

Reflection in the Water

by Megan Hughes
08/06/25
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On a clear day, Ari, the small lion, strolled toward the creek to take a cool drink with the sun warm on his back. When he arrived, the motionless water looked like shiny glass. Ari was about to test the water with his paw when he stopped and jumped backward, landing with a thud in the sand. Eliezer, the golden eagle, appeared and perched on a low branch. He noticed the puzzled look on Ari’s face.

“Why are you so troubled on such a fine morning?”

Ari crept closer to Eliezer while keeping a sharp eye on the water.

“There is another lion in the creek,” Ari whispered. “And it is not me!”

Have you ever glimpsed a reflection of yourself that startled you? In a fleeting moment, you saw yourself as a strong, confident, and capable person. You saw someone who could step out and fulfill the dreams deep in your heart.

As Ari does, you whisper to yourself, “It’s not me.” You jump backward, landing with a thud. You can’t seem to believe that those deep yearnings in your heart, those dreams that have grown inside of you, are possible.

 Eliezer explained to Ari the truth of what the water reflected.

“The other lion is you! Ari, your mane, the fur around your face, has grown into its fullness. You are a mature lion now.”

This truth is the same for you. The dream of your heart has grown into its fullness. You are the confident, capable person who can be a leader and make the difference you dreamed of.

You came into this world with courage, love, and gifts to share. The desire to affect those around you is what brought you here. It is time to shine your light.

Ari walked back to the creek and glanced at his reflection in the water. He turned his head from side to side and thought to himself; It is me. And it is you. You were born for much more. The water’s reflection shows the truth. You reflect God, created in the image of God, to live your dreams, the dreams that God put into your heart.

Even with some doubts still swirling in his mind, Ari embraced the truth of the water’s reflection. This is who I am, a mature lion. He took the next step on his journey, found his destiny, and changed the lives of many for generations to come.

How about you? Will you embrace the truth of the reflection in the water and take the next step? Will you be who God created you to be? If so, your divine destiny awaits, and you will see lives changed. You will see God’s dream for your life unfold.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  ~Philippians 4:13

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”  ~ John Quincy Adams