Rory
the Reindeer and the Great Reindeer Tryouts
By Bill Conley
America’s Favorite Children’s Storyteller
Moral
of the Story
Effort and persistence always
outshine natural talent. You don’t have to be perfect to be great; you just
have to keep trying. Failure isn’t the end of the story; it is the beginning of
learning. The strongest reindeer are not the ones who never fall, but the ones
who get up again. Heart and hard work will always take you farther than easy
success. Those who keep believing and keep improving become the true leaders. Christmas
spirit is not about winning; it is about giving your best and lifting others up
along the way.
Every December, high above the snowy
clouds of the North Pole, Santa held his annual reindeer tryouts.
The best and brightest reindeer
lined up on the training field to compete for a spot on Santa’s famous sleigh
team. There were jumps to leap, hoops to glide through, and sprints to test
speed and endurance.
Among them stood a young reindeer
named Rory.
Rory was not the fastest, or the
strongest, or even the most graceful. His hooves were a little too big, and his
landings were always a little too bumpy. But Rory had a huge heart and an even
bigger dream. He wanted more than anything to fly with Santa on Christmas Eve.
Dasher, Donner, and Blitzen, the
veterans of the team, stretched confidently at the starting line. Dasher winked
at Rory. “You ready, rookie?”
Rory nodded, though his knees
trembled. “I’ve been practicing every day, sir!”
Blitzen chuckled. “Practice is good,
kid, but it takes more than effort to pull the big sleigh.”
Santa blew his whistle, and the
tryouts began.
The reindeer leapt into the air,
hooves pounding and snow spraying everywhere. They soared through the frosty
sky in dazzling form, except for Rory, who stumbled over the takeoff line and
tumbled headfirst into a snowbank.
The crowd of elves gasped, then
laughed softly. Rory popped his head out of the snow, shaking flakes from his
antlers. “I’m okay!” he called out cheerfully, though his cheeks burned red.
The rest of the tryout did not go
much better. He crashed through two practice hoops, missed his landing by a
mile, and slid across the ice like a curling stone.
When Santa announced the results,
Rory’s name was not on the list.
“I’m sorry, son,” Santa said kindly.
“You’ve got heart, but you’re not ready yet.”
Rory nodded, holding back tears. “I
understand, Santa. Maybe next year.”
That night, he wandered away from
the stables, kicking at the snow. “Maybe I’m just not good enough,” he sighed.
“I’ll never be like the others.”
Just then, Clarice, one of the younger
reindeer, trotted over. “You looked great out there,” she said kindly.
Rory frowned. “I fell on my face.”
Clarice smiled. “Maybe. But you got
back up every time. Santa noticed that.”
Rory tilted his head. “You think
so?”
“I know so,” Clarice said. “You just
need to believe it, too.”
Those words stayed with him. The
next morning, before dawn, Rory returned to the field alone. He started
practicing, not once, not twice, but every day. He worked on his takeoffs,
strengthened his legs, and even learned to balance while gliding through wind
tunnels.
Days turned into weeks. Every time
he fell, he got up faster. Every time he missed, he aimed higher.
One snowy afternoon, as Rory
practiced loops in the sky, Santa happened to be watching from his workshop
window.
“Ho ho ho!” Santa chuckled. “Would
you look at that! The kid’s out here again, and he’s improving!”
When Christmas Eve finally arrived,
the reindeer team gathered for their pre-flight inspection. But there was a
problem. Comet had caught a cold and could not fly.
“What are we going to do?” asked
Donner. “We’re one reindeer short!”
Santa rubbed his beard. “Well, I
think I know someone who’s been working very hard for this moment.” He smiled
and called out, “Rory! Get your harness ready!”
Rory’s eyes went wide. “Me? Really?”
Santa nodded. “You’ve earned your
wings, my boy. Let’s see what that practice can do.”
The reindeer lined up, hooves poised
on the runway. Snow sparkled beneath the moonlight as Santa called, “Ready,
team?”
“Ready!” they shouted.
“Then let’s take off! ”
Rory ran with all his might, heart
pounding, legs strong and steady. This time, he did not stumble. He soared into
the air, clean, confident, and free. The wind rushed past his ears as he joined
formation beside Dasher and Dancer.
“You did it, rookie!” Dasher yelled
proudly.
“Welcome to the sky, kid!” Blitzen
added with a grin.
Throughout the night, Rory flew with courage and joy, guiding the sleigh through clouds, storms, and
dazzling northern lights. When they returned at dawn, Santa patted him on the
shoulder.
“I told you hard work pays off,”
Santa said warmly. “You’ve got something more important than perfect landings,
Rory. You’ve got heart.”
Rory smiled, his chest glowing with
pride. “Thank you, Santa. I won’t ever stop practicing.”
And he didn’t. From that Christmas
forward, Rory became a permanent member of Santa’s team, the reindeer who
proved that determination can take you higher than talent ever could.
Poem
If you slip or miss your mark,
Do not give up when times seem dark.
Fall and rise, then try once more.
Each new effort helps you soar.
The greatest flight begins with fall.
And practice makes you strong in all.
For every dream that’s ever true,
Begins with faith and follow-through.
Questions
for Thought
1.
What made Rory different from the
other reindeer?
2.
Why did Santa choose Rory in the
end?
3.
How can practicing and trying again
help you in your own life?
No comments:
Post a Comment