Iguanas are not chameleons

 Izzy the iguana spent his days lounging on the warm rocks near the river, basking in the golden sunlight. But unlike the other iguanas, Izzy was convinced he was a chameleon.

“I can change colors whenever I want,” he boasted, even though his skin remained the same vibrant green.

The real chameleons, who spent their time shifting from brown to green to yellow, chuckled. “Izzy, you’re an iguana! You can’t change colors like us.”

But Izzy ignored them. Instead of enjoying his powerful legs, his strong tail, and his ability to climb trees with ease, he spent all his time trying to “blend in,” convinced that if he just focused hard enough, he’d turn blue, red, or even purple.

One day, while deep in concentration, he failed to notice the shadow gliding over him. A hawk was circling above, searching for an easy meal. The chameleons quickly shifted to match the branches and disappeared, but Izzy, so focused on what he wasn’t, didn’t move.

Just as the hawk swooped down, a wise old iguana shouted, “Izzy! Run! Use your strength!”

Snapped out of his trance, Izzy bolted, leaping onto a thick branch and whipping his tail to propel himself higher. He scrambled up a tree and disappeared into the canopy. The hawk, startled by his speed, gave up and flew away.

Panting, Izzy looked at his body, still the same green. He glanced at the chameleons below, safe in their disguises. For the first time, he saw the truth: He wasn’t meant to change colors. He was meant to be himself. To be an iguana, strong, fast, and fearless.

From that day forward, Izzy no longer wasted time trying to be something he wasn’t. He paid attention to what made him be, his agility, his sharp instincts, and his ability to thrive in his own way. And as a result, he enjoyed life fully, without missing a single opportunity that came his way.