Free inspiration with Creative Commons license* (CC BY-NC-SA)
© 2024, BNC GIFTS® & Google Bard (Gemini)
Facing Fears & Finding Courage
A crisp autumn wind blew in strong gusts around the school, rustling leaves from the trees beyond the fences and into the playground.
A creeping feeling moved up Leo's spine and over his shoulders. He remembered seeing a whole tree branch blown off once, and hearing it land with a loud cracking thud. Ever since that day Leo felt uneasy about being outside, particularly when it was very windy.
Today, however, Leo had another concern. Swimming lessons were starting after lunch, and his stomach churned like a washing machine on high spin.
Leo looked around the playground for his two best friends, Flora and Maya. But they were nowhere to be seen, so he decided to go inside to the library and find an interesting book to read - safe away from any flying branches. His imagination seemed to be telling him so.
Just as Leo opened the main door to go inside, Maya arrived, panting with excitement, her hair was a windswept mess and her whole face was flushed.
"Guess what?" Maya gasped, clutching a beautifully decorated windsock.
Leo recognized it instantly, as one of several design ideas that Maya had spoken about, using fabric scraps from her mother’s craft box and odd socks that were found in the funniest of places.
"The wind is so wild!" Maya exclaimed, and still panting she continued
"But Flora wouldn't come out to play! I think she’s in the library"
Flora also had a fear of the wind, which she simply could not explain.
Leo had already guessed where Flora was, and he liked reading or learning from books.
The library was always the best place to learn outside the classroom. Maya noticed that Leo was more keen to open the door and go inside than talk about the windsock.
Suddenly she had an idea, and with a plan forming in her mind she said:
"Let's go see Flora, maybe the windsock can help"
Leo and Maya found Flora huddled in the library, her eyes focused inside a book called Creatures of the Air, Land and Sea.
When Flora saw Leo and Maya, her eyes lowered back to the pages of the book as she uttered:
"Ugh, the wind is too creepy-spooky today"
Maya, with a determined glint in her eyes, held up the windsock and shaking it she said:
"but the wind is so much fun with this!"
Flora hesitated as she took the windsock, but then she remembered how they had worked together on different designs.
The colorful streams of fabric danced as Flora gently shook it back and forth.
"Yes, It’s like a flying butterfly, flying very fast..up and down, this way that way" Flora said smiling, with bright and eager eyes.
Leo took a deep breath and stood motionless, as he watched bright-eyed Flora with the windsock, then he shared his dread of the first swimming class that was due to take place that afternoon.
Flora passed the windsock back to Maya and reached towards the book that she had been reading to place it back on the shelf, in that moment Leo noticed an image of a dolphin on the page and asked curiously:
“Why do dolphins always look like they are smiling?”
Flora offered a high five and said:
"We can do this together, right? Let’s pretend swimming class is a sea and air adventure!"
The idea sparked a truth in Leo’s thinking, and his shoulders relaxed as he said:
“Dolphins don't fear water, they love it! Maybe that’s why they always seem to be smiling”
Suddenly, swimming lessons didn't seem so scary anymore.
That afternoon, as the trio walked towards the school bus they were united in the courage to think in a different way. Flora held the windsock high, with the fabric streams billowing in the wind. Leo looked on and smiled, his shoulders felt smooth and very relaxed. The billowing fabric streams reminded him of the dolphin in the book.
As the class stood in line the wind became calm and the windsock came to rest.
Leo and Flora looked upwards together, hoping that the wind would bluster up again!
During the swimming lessons, Maya kept up the dolphin charade, happily gesturing with her nose and splashing playfully. Leo, inspired by Maya's bravado, managed to dip his head underwater for the first time, blew bubbles and emerged with a triumphant grin.
At the end of the school day the three friends walked towards the gate together. The wind, once a source of fear, now felt like a playful companion. Leo felt a newfound confidence about the swimming classes, and together with Flora enjoyed new ways of facing the wind.
The day had not only been about conquering certain fears, but also about caring and strengthening their friendship. They learned that facing fears together, with creative ideas, was quite easy and much more rewarding.
In time they designed more windsocks, using odd socks and fabric scraps with the wind leading the way - for flying dolphins, dragons, elephants, and more.
The end (for now).
Did you just say to yourself "but elephants don’t fly"?
Anything is possible designing with our imagination!
*Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA)
© 2024, BNC GIFTS® & Google Bard (Gemini)
Creative Commons | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Deed | Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
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