Finley was a very small fish, even for a little fish. He lived in a cozy coral cave with his mama and papa, and he rarely, *rarely*, swam out very far. The big ocean seemed…well, big! And a little scary. All the other little fish zoomed around, exploring the shimmering seaweed forests and playing hide-and-seek amongst the bubbly coral, but Finley preferred to stay close to home.
“Why don’t you go play with Coral and Sheldon, Finley?” his mama would ask. “They’re having a wonderful time discovering the Sunken Garden!” But Finley would shake his little fish head. “It’s too far, Mama. What if I get lost? What if I bump into a grumpy pufferfish?”
One day, Finley overheard Coral and Sheldon talking about a magical glowing shell they’d found in the Sunken Garden. It was said to grant wishes! Finley’s heart fluttered. He wished he was brave enough to go find it. He wished he could explore like the other fish. He wished…he wished he wasn’t so afraid.
Suddenly, a wise old sea turtle named Sheldon (not the Sheldon Finley knew, a *different* Sheldon!) swam by. He’d overheard Finley’s wishes. “Little one,” Sheldon said kindly, “bravery isn’t about not being afraid. It’s about doing something *even though* you are afraid.”
Finley thought about this. It was a strange idea. He took a deep breath and decided to try. He swam just a little bit further than he usually did. Then a little bit further still. It *was* a bit scary, but he remembered Sheldon’s words. He focused on the thought of the glowing shell and the fun he might have with Coral and Sheldon.
He met a friendly starfish who pointed him in the right direction. He carefully swam around a sleeping pufferfish (who wasn’t grumpy at all!). He even helped a tiny shrimp find its way home. With each small step, Finley felt a little braver, a little stronger.
Finally, he reached the Sunken Garden! It was even more beautiful than he’d imagined. And there, nestled amongst the colorful anemones, was the glowing shell! Coral and Sheldon were overjoyed to see him. They hadn’t even made a wish yet; they’d been saving it for Finley.
“We knew you could do it!” Coral exclaimed. Sheldon added, “We wished for you to find your bravery!” Finley smiled. He didn’t need a magical shell to be brave. He already had it inside him all along. He realized that exploring wasn’t scary; it was exciting!
Together, the three friends made a wish for all the little fish in the ocean to have the courage to follow their dreams. Then, as the sun began to set, Finley swam home, no longer a little fish afraid of the big ocean, but a brave little fish who knew that even the biggest adventures were possible, one fin-stroke at a time. And as he drifted off to sleep, he dreamed of all the wonderful places he would explore tomorrow.