Of Fish and Ponds

The world is made up of many ponds.

Sometimes a big fish in one pond will visit another pond.
Sometimes the fish has trouble coping when it discovers that the other pond already has its own big fish.
Sometimes the fish is unable to grasp that in the other pond, it's only a small fish.

It does no good, in those times, for the fish to insist that the other pond must change to look like its own pond, where it can once more be a big fish.
It does no good for the fish to denounce the other pond as a cesspool when it is refused.

Always approach the world as if you are a small fish. More good comes when you recognize that you always have room to grow.

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The above was originally written on July 7 for my Wikipedia User Page "Thought of the Month." Since then, two people uninvolved in its raison d'être have commented that it's good wisdom in general. So I'm reprinting it here.