Flicker was a little firefly, and he had a big problem. He *couldn't* sleep! All the other fireflies in Meadowbrook Glade blinked themselves to sleep as soon as the moon rose, but Flicker just couldn't seem to dim his light and drift off. He tried everything. He counted blades of grass, he practiced slow, gentle blinks, and he even tried imagining he was a tiny, sleepy star. Nothing worked.
Every night, Flicker would zoom around the glade, feeling more and more frustrated. He’d watch his friends, their lights fading to soft glows, and wish he could join them in peaceful slumber. He worried he was doing something wrong. 'Why can't I sleep like everyone else?' he’d whisper to the night.
Old Man Tiber, a wise snail who had seen countless seasons, noticed Flicker’s distress. He slowly slid over to the little firefly, leaving a shimmering trail. “Little Flicker,” he said in his gentle voice, “I see you’re having trouble finding your rest.”
Flicker explained his woes, his light blinking rapidly with worry. “I’ve tried everything, Old Man Tiber! I just can’t turn off my glow and sleep. I’m afraid I’ll be awake all night, and then I won’t have energy to light up the meadow tomorrow!”
Old Man Tiber smiled. “Sometimes, little one, it’s not about *making* yourself sleep. Sometimes, it’s about accepting that it takes time. And sometimes, it’s okay to ask for help.” He pointed a tiny antenna towards Willow, a kind, older firefly known for her calming presence.
Flicker, a little shy, flew over to Willow. “Willow,” he said softly, “I can’t sleep. Do you… do you have any advice?” Willow’s light pulsed warmly. “Oh, Flicker,” she said, “It’s perfectly alright to struggle with sleep. It happens to all of us sometimes. Try this: instead of trying to *stop* your light, imagine it’s a gentle wave, slowly rising and falling. Breathe with the wave.”
Flicker closed his eyes and tried to follow Willow’s instructions. He imagined his light as a soft, blue wave, rising with a deep breath and falling with a slow exhale. It wasn’t easy at first. His light still flickered and danced, but slowly, gradually, it began to calm. He focused on his breathing, letting the wave carry him along.
He realized Willow wasn’t expecting him to *force* his light off. She was helping him find a way to be comfortable with his own rhythm. He didn’t need to be like the other fireflies; he just needed to find what worked for *him*.
As he continued to breathe with the wave, Flicker felt a wonderful, sleepy feeling wash over him. His light dimmed, not because he was trying to make it, but because his body was finally ready to rest. He blinked one last, slow blink, and drifted off to sleep, a gentle, glowing wave in the peaceful Meadowbrook Glade.
From that night on, Flicker still had moments when sleep didn’t come easily. But he remembered Willow’s advice and Old Man Tiber’s wisdom. He learned to be kind to himself, to accept his own rhythm, and to ask for help when he needed it. And every night, he drifted off to sleep, knowing that even a little firefly who couldn’t sleep could find peace and rest.