The Little Monkey Afraid of Heights

In a great forest lived a young monkey terribly afraid of heights. While the other monkeys leapt and swung joyfully among the high treetops, the little monkey clung tightly to a low branch, too scared to climb any higher.

"What kind of monkey is afraid of heights? How embarrassing!" the others teased. The little monkey felt hurt but still couldn't bring itself to climb higher, choosing instead to play alone beneath the trees.

One afternoon, the sky turned dark and the wind grew stronger. The little monkey's best friend had climbed high to pick fruit and slipped, getting stuck on a thin, high fork in the branches, crying out in fear as the storm drew closer.

The little monkey looked up, heart pounding with fear. But seeing its friend cry for help, it took a deep breath and began climbing, one branch at a time, never once looking down.

At last the little monkey reached its friend in time and helped it climb safely down to the ground just before the storm broke. All the other monkeys cheered its bravery, and from that day on, the little monkey grew a little braver about climbing high, one step at a time.

Overcoming fear often starts with finding a reason that matters more than the fear itself.