Butterflies and the Bee

 Butterflies and the Bee

    Soon after Mark placed third in last year's spelling bee, he began the process of preparing for this year's competition. He developed his own individual style of practicing. Each day he found ten unfamiliar words, wrote each word on a card, and memorized the spelling.

    The morning of the contest, Mark felt confident until he took his seat onstage. Suddenly, it seemed that butterflies were flitting around his stomach. His mouth was dry, his legs wobbled, and his mind was an alphabet soup. The combination of feelings was very unpleasant.

    Mark's teacher tapped him on the shoulder and motioned for him to follow her offstage. "Here are some last-minute tips," his teacher said. "First, take slow, deep breaths to relax your body. Second, imagine yourself succeeding, and third have fun. The fate of the world doesn't depend on the outcome."

    Mark thanked her and returned to his seat. He began breathing slowly and felt himself relax. He recalled his months of practice and felt his confidence return. Finally, he looked around the auditorium and smiled. "It's only a spelling bee," he told himself with relief.