Flora the flamingo was a beautiful bird, with feathers the color of sunset and legs as pink as bubblegum. But Flora wasn’t very good at bedtime. Every night, as the moon peeked over the lagoon, Flora would worry. She worried about the tide, about whether her feathers were perfectly preened, and if all her friends were tucked in safely. She’d toss and turn and couldn’t seem to get comfortable.
One evening, Old Man Tiber, the wise tortoise, noticed Flora’s fidgeting. He slowly paddled over. “What troubles you, little one?” he asked kindly. Flora explained all her worries, flapping her wings with each concern. “What if a big wave comes? What if I forget how to fly? What if… what if…?”
Old Man Tiber chuckled softly. “Flora,” he said, “worrying is like trying to hold water in your hands. The more you squeeze, the faster it slips away. You can’t control everything, you know.” Flora looked confused. “But… but what if something *does* happen?”
“Then you’ll deal with it when it does,” Tiber replied. “Right now, it’s time to focus on being calm and peaceful. Close your eyes and listen to the lagoon. Hear the gentle lapping of the water? That’s a calming sound.” Flora closed her eyes, but her worries still buzzed in her head like little mosquitoes.
Just then, Penelope the pelican landed nearby. “Flora, are you still awake?” she asked. “I was practicing my sleepy stretches! Want to join?” Penelope began to slowly stretch her neck and wings, making long, gentle movements. “Imagine you’re stretching all your worries away with each stretch,” Penelope suggested.
Flora tried it. She stretched her long neck, then her legs, and then her wings. With each stretch, she imagined her worries floating away on the breeze. It felt… good! She stretched again, and again, and slowly, her body began to relax.
“Now,” said Penelope, “let’s think of three good things that happened today.” Flora thought for a moment. “I found a delicious shrimp!” she exclaimed. “And I helped build a new nest for the baby egrets!” Penelope smiled. “And you are a wonderful friend,” she added.
Flora felt a warm glow inside. Thinking about happy things made her worries seem much smaller. Old Man Tiber nodded approvingly. “See, Flora? Focusing on the good, and accepting that you can’t control everything, helps bring peace.”
Flora took a deep breath, feeling calmer than she had all night. She snuggled her head under her wing, feeling the soft feathers against her cheek. She listened to the lagoon, stretched her wings one last time, and thought about her delicious shrimp. Soon, Flora the flamingo was fast asleep, dreaming sweet dreams of pink sunsets and peaceful lagoons. And she knew, even if a little worry popped up, she had the tools to let it float away.