Luna the firefly was a very sparkly firefly, but tonight, her sparkle was…wobbly. Usually, Luna’s light shone bright and steady, helping her friends find their way home. But tonight, it flickered and dimmed and zoomed all over the meadow. “Oh dear,” she buzzed to herself. “I can’t seem to calm down!”
Old Man Tiber, a wise snail, slowly slid by. He noticed Luna’s wobbly light. “What troubles you, little one?” he asked in his gentle voice. Luna explained, “I just…feel all buzzy inside! I want to sleep, but my light won’t stop wiggling.”
Old Man Tiber smiled. “Sometimes,” he said, “our insides feel like a busy meadow, full of buzzing bees and hopping grasshoppers. But we can learn to listen to the quiet things too.” He pointed a feeler towards a sleepy bumblebee nestled in a flower. “Listen to the bumblebee’s slow breaths. In…and out…in…and out.”
Luna closed her eyes and tried to listen. At first, all she heard was the buzzing in her own light. But she kept trying. Slowly, she began to notice the bumblebee’s gentle breathing. She took a deep breath herself, and then let it out slowly. In…and out…
“Now,” Old Man Tiber said, “feel your wings. Are they tense and tight, or soft and relaxed?” Luna wiggled her wings. They *were* a little tight! She gently stretched them out, one by one, and imagined all the worry floating away with each stretch.
She thought about all the good things from her day: helping a lost beetle find his family, sharing sweet nectar with her friend Bess, and watching the sunset paint the sky with beautiful colors. Each happy thought felt like a tiny, calming glow inside her.
Luna took another deep breath, focusing on the quiet rhythm of the meadow. She noticed the soft chirping of crickets and the gentle rustling of leaves. Her light began to slow down, the wobbles becoming smaller and smaller.
“It’s okay if your light still flickers a little,” Old Man Tiber said kindly. “It just means you’re still a sparkly firefly, and that’s wonderful. Just keep breathing, and keep listening to the quiet.”
Luna smiled. She closed her eyes again, and this time, her light shone with a soft, peaceful glow. In…and out…in…and out… She felt her eyelids getting heavy. The meadow sounds became a gentle lullaby.
Soon, Luna’s light dimmed to a tiny spark, and she drifted off to sleep, nestled amongst the sleepy flowers. Even a sparkly firefly needs a calm and peaceful rest. And you do too. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let your own light shine softly as you drift off to dreamland.