Once upon a time, in a meadow filled with soft grass and gentle flowers, lived a little bunny named Barnaby. Barnaby loved to hop! Hop, hop, hop he went all day long. His little nose twitched, his ears bounced, and his feet just loved to move. He could hop over stones and under bushes and around patches of daisies. Hopping made Barnaby feel so happy and full of energy.
But when the sun started to dip low and the stars began to twinkle, it was time for Barnaby to quiet his busy feet and settle down for sleep. Sometimes, even when he was tired, Barnaby still felt a little bit wiggly inside. His mind would bounce like his feet, and it was hard for him to feel still and calm.
One evening, as Barnaby was wiggling in his cozy burrow entrance, a wise old firefly named Flicker glowed nearby. Flicker’s light pulsed softly, like a tiny, gentle heartbeat. Barnaby watched the calm glow. "Flicker," he whispered, "how do you feel so still and peaceful? My feet are tired, but my insides still feel like hopping!"
Flicker’s light pulsed kindly. "Little Barnaby," he buzzed softly, "peacefulness isn't just about stopping your feet. It's about finding a quiet spot inside you, too. You can learn to feel calm, even when you feel wiggly."
Barnaby tilted his head. "How?" he asked.
Flicker invited Barnaby to sit very still beside him. "First," Flicker said, "find a cozy spot where you feel safe. Your burrow is perfect." Barnaby snuggled down into the soft, dry leaves and moss of his home. It felt warm and safe.
"Now," Flicker continued in his quiet buzz, "let's notice our breath. Feel the air gently come into your nose... like you're sniffing a soft flower. And feel it gently go back out... like a soft sigh." Barnaby tried it. In... and out. It felt different from his usual quick bunny breaths.
"Good," whispered Flicker. "Now, let's notice your body. Can you feel your soft fur? Can you feel your little paws resting on the ground? Just notice how your body feels, resting right here in your cozy spot."
Barnaby closed his eyes and felt his twitchy nose quiet down. He felt his soft fur and the gentle weight of his body. He felt the air coming in and out, soft and steady.
"Imagine," Flicker said softly, "that each time you breathe out, any wiggles or bouncing feelings float gently away, like dandelion fluff drifting in the breeze." Barnaby imagined little wiggles floating out with his breath, leaving him feeling a little lighter inside.
He kept breathing gently, feeling calmer and calmer. The soft glow of Flicker’s light felt peaceful. The quiet sounds of the night outside the burrow felt safe and far away. Inside, Barnaby felt a growing quietness, like the still surface of a pond.
He wasn't hopping anymore. He wasn't wiggling anymore. He just felt his gentle breath and the peaceful quiet inside him. His eyelids felt heavy, heavy, heavy. He knew he had found the quiet spot Flicker talked about. And in that quiet spot, Barnaby the bunny drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep, feeling safe and calm all through the night.