Olivia the ostrich was the busiest bird in the whole wide savanna. She zoomed here, she zoomed there, always running, always doing! She’d race the wind, help gather berries (though she often accidentally kicked them everywhere!), and even try to organize the clouds (which, as you can imagine, didn’t work very well). But when the sun began to set, Olivia couldn’t seem to *stop* zooming.
“Olivia,” said Mama Ostrich gently, “It’s almost bedtime. You need to calm your feathers.” Olivia just wiggled her long neck. “But there’s so much to *do*! What if I miss something important?”
Papa Ostrich chuckled. “Nothing important happens when the moon is high, little one. It’s time for sleepy dust and quiet dreams.” He suggested Olivia try counting the fireflies. “Each blink is a little bit of calm,” he explained.
Olivia tried. She blinked her eyes, then counted, “One blink! Two blinks! Three blinks!” But she was counting so fast, her head started to spin! She zoomed in a little circle, accidentally bumping into a sleepy tortoise.
“Oh dear,” said the tortoise, slowly. “You’re a bit… energetic, aren’t you?” Olivia sighed. “I can’t help it! I just feel like I need to *keep going*.”
Old Man Elephant, who was enjoying a quiet evening snack of leaves, overheard. He ambled over and said, “Sometimes, little ostrich, the best thing to do is to listen to your body. Does your body feel like zooming, or does it feel like resting?”
Olivia closed her eyes and really thought about it. Her legs felt wobbly, her neck felt a little sore, and her tummy felt… sleepy. “I think… I think it feels like resting,” she whispered.
“Good,” said Old Man Elephant. “Try taking deep breaths. Imagine you’re smelling a field of sweet wildflowers.” Olivia took a deep breath. It *did* smell nice, even if there weren’t any wildflowers nearby. She took another, and another.
Mama Ostrich then began a gentle humming song, a special bedtime tune she always sang. Olivia listened to the rhythm, and slowly, slowly, her zooming slowed to a gentle sway. She realized that resting wasn't boring; it was peaceful.
Papa Ostrich tucked her into a cozy nest of soft grasses. Olivia snuggled down, feeling warm and safe. She closed her eyes, and this time, she didn’t want to zoom. She wanted to dream.
“Goodnight, Olivia,” whispered Mama Ostrich. “Remember, even the busiest ostrich needs a peaceful bedtime.” Olivia smiled sleepily. “Goodnight, Mama. Goodnight, Papa. And goodnight to all the sleepy fireflies.” And with a final, contented sigh, Olivia the ostrich drifted off to sleep.