Paka and the Slow Snail

The Great Race

Paka the Alpaca was always in a hurry. He wore his sunglasses, flipped his ears, and zoomed through the meadow, chasing butterflies and skipping stones. One sunny morning, he heard a loud thump and saw a snail slowly crawling across the path. “Hey, slowpoke!” Paka called. “Why are you moving so slow? Let’s race!” The snail turned its head and said, “I don’t race, Paka. I walk. And I’m not slow. I’m just taking my time.”

Paka laughed. “You’re so slow, you’ll never win a race!” He challenged the snail to a race, promising a shiny acorn as the prize. The snail smiled and said, “I accept, but I’ll take my time.”

The Race Begins

The race started with a loud ding from Paka’s sunglasses. He sprinted off like a rocket, while the snail began to crawl. Paka was far ahead, but he kept looking back. “Come on, snail! You’re so slow!” he shouted. The snail just kept moving, steady and calm.

After a while, Paka stopped to catch his breath. “I’m winning!” he said. But the snail was still crawling, and the path was getting longer. Paka started to get frustrated. “Why are you going so slow? You’re not even close!” he yelled.

The snail paused and said, “I’m not trying to win. I’m trying to reach my destination. Sometimes, the best way is to take your time.”

The Lesson

Paka sat down, still wearing his sunglasses, and watched the snail. He realized he had been rushing all the time, never stopping to enjoy the journey. The snail had a calm, steady pace, and it was actually reaching its goal.

“Maybe I should try taking my time,” Paka said. The snail smiled and said, “That’s the first step to patience.”

From that day on, Paka learned to slow down, enjoy the little things, and appreciate the journey. He still wore his sunglasses and loved adventure, but now he knew that sometimes, the best things come from taking your time.

Life Lesson: Patience is the key to enjoying the journey and reaching your goals.

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