Rosie the rabbit was very excited! Tomorrow was Valentine’s Day. All her friends were making cards and planning little gifts. Rosie wanted to give the *best* Valentine ever, but she didn’t know what to do. She looked in her toy box, but everything seemed… not quite right.
Her friend Barnaby Bear loved blueberries, but Rosie had already eaten all hers! Penelope Penguin adored shiny pebbles, but Rosie’s pebble collection wasn’t very sparkly. She sighed. “It’s no fun if I can’t give a perfect Valentine,” she mumbled.
Mama Rabbit hopped over. “What’s wrong, sweetie?” she asked, giving Rosie a cuddle. Rosie explained her problem. Mama Rabbit smiled. “A perfect Valentine doesn’t have to be a *thing*, Rosie. Sometimes, the best gifts come from your heart.”
Rosie thought about that. What came from her heart? She loved to help her friends! She remembered Barnaby Bear had been trying to build a tower of blocks, but it kept falling down. And Penelope Penguin was sad because she couldn’t reach the juicy red berries on the high bush.
So, Rosie spent the afternoon helping Barnaby build his tower. She carefully placed each block, and soon, the tower was taller than Rosie herself! Barnaby was so happy, he gave Rosie a big bear hug. Then, Rosie helped Penelope reach the berries, carefully picking them and putting them in Penelope’s beak.
When Valentine’s Day arrived, Rosie gave Barnaby and Penelope a big smile. “Happy Valentine’s Day!” she said. Barnaby and Penelope gave Rosie the biggest hugs. “This is the best Valentine’s Day ever!” Penelope chirped.
Rosie realized Mama Rabbit was right. The best Valentine wasn’t a sparkly pebble or a juicy blueberry. It was the joy of helping her friends and sharing kindness. As she snuggled into bed that night, Rosie knew that a little thoughtfulness could make everyone’s Valentine – and every day – a little bit brighter.
And as she drifted off to sleep, Rosie dreamed of all the ways she could spread kindness and friendship, not just on Valentine’s Day, but all year round. Sweet dreams, little one, and remember to share the love!