"Always remember you are BRAVER than you believe, STRONGER than you seem, SMARTER than you think and LOVED more than you know." -A.A. Milne
Papa Beaver started screaming at the top of his lungs! He started hurling insults at Woody. Mama Beaver tried to calm him down and Woody apologized repeatedly, promising never to play with his slingshot again, but nothing could calm him down. Papa Beaver's anger intensified to such an extent that he completely destroyed their home.
Following this incident, and several others in the past few months, Mama Beaver decided that it was finally time for Woody and her to leave their home for their safety and well-being.
After the meeting, Mama Beaver informed Woody of the upcoming changes. She asked him to follow the route by following the signs to get to Liberty Lane, their new safe home. After giving him a kiss, Mama Beaver reassures Woody that they will meet each other soon.
Tears running down his cheek and feeling very anxious, Woody began walking with so many unanswered questions in mind. Will he see his father again? Is his father still angry with him? Does his mother blame him for moving? What about his friends, will he ever be able to see them again? What disturbs him the most is the feeling that he is responsible for separating his family. Woody feels a great deal of guilt... He genuinely believes that he has destroyed his family. His mind, racing with thoughts, prompted him to cry even louder but stopped completely when he heard a voice calling out to him from afar...
"Hello my friend!" says a frog.
Woody doesn't know where the voice is coming from so he turns his head and sees a frog sitting on a lily pad from a distance.
"Hello!" replied Woody hesitantly.
"Is there anything I can do to help you? I've heard you crying for a while and I am very saddened by this," said the frog. Woody started explaining to the frog about his new circumstances....
"You know, we all go through difficult situations in our lives sometimes. The important thing is to find a way to deal with your emotions constructively," says the frog.
"Oh, really? Could you show me how to do that?"
Woody asked hesitantly.
"Certainly! I am quite an expert with this technique. The secret ingredient is the BREATH. You can control your emotions through breathing. We inhale deeply by counting 1...2...3...4... We take a 4-second pause and then exhale counting backwards 4...3...2...1..." demonstrates the frog with pride.
"Why do you have a ball in your hand?" Woody asks.
"Oh! Good question! I forgot to mention that I squeeze it tightly in my hand as I exhale. It reminds me to release all of my frustrations and worries. Here you are, give it a try! You will see after a few attempts, the technique helps you calm down," says the wise frog.
Woody was reluctant to try the technique but he obviously needs help managing his emotions. Eyes closed, he starts inhaling 1...2...3...4..., pausing and then exhaling 4...3...2...1...while squeezing the ball. After a few tries, Woody is quite surprised at how calm he feels.
"You know, you can use this technique whenever you feel your emotions intensifying. You can keep the ball as a gift. It can serve as a reminder of our meeting and hoping you will use it when needed," said the frog.
"Ahhh, thank you!" Woody replied gratefully.
"And remember, this technique will only work to control YOUR emotions, but not those of others. How people react is not your responsibility. If your dad chose to ruin your house, just remember, it is not your fault!" insists the frog.
Woody continues on his route while thinking of his conversation with the frog. He’s already feeling a little better. Woody is quite grateful for the ball the frog gifted him and practices his breathing exercises while walking.
Woody begins to think about his new home and wonders if his mother has already arrived to welcome him. He still has a long way to go. He does not want to worry her. As soon as he starts to quicken his pace, Woody feels a sharp pain in one of his hands.
"OUTTTTCH!!!" shouts Woody.
"Oh, I am soooo sorry! I was looking for nectar and the colors of your ball caught my eye. I thought it was a flower," sincerely apologizes the bee.
"It's ok!" replied Woody. He took a few deep breaths to calm down. He understands the bee's reasoning and is also relieved that he took the time to breathe beforehand as he was about to squash the bee. Woody realizes that the frog's explanation of controlling your emotions with the breath is already helping him.
Without even noticing it, Woody realizes that he is right in the middle of a field of flowers. Dozens of bees are foraging from flower to flower. It was truly a beautiful sight to see. The buzzing sounds they made were quite a symphony!
One of the bees recognized Woody. She had heard from a frog about a beaver saddened to leave his home and especially the guilt he felt. She approached Woody to reassure him about his new home.
"You know your new home at Liberty Lane is going to be great. It makes me think of our beehive," says the bee.
"Ah, really?!? I'm WAY too big to fit into a beehive!" replied Woody.
"No, no... What I mean is that you'll have your own space like we each have one in our hive. You will be well surrounded like us! It's really comforting, you'll be able to make new friends!" insists the bee.
"In any case, you will never be alone. Bees always stand together. Friendship is very important to us. We encourage and defend each other when needed. We could do that for you. We'll always be here for you if you need our help," replies one of the bees.
Before Woody even had time to respond, the bees started flying in all directions and poking at a few cotton plants, for no apparent reason.
-Bzzz... bzzzz....bzzzzzzzz!!
A few minutes later, three of the bees approached Woody. They swirled around his wrist a few times and without further ado, they attach a beautiful blue and yellow bracelet on his wrist.
"Ah! This bracelet is really beautiful!! Is it for me?" Woody asks hopefully.
"Wow! That's really nice!" Woody exclaimed.
"Also, don't ever forget that you are not responsible for other people's reactions. Keep reminding yourself that what happened with your dad, it's not your fault!" insisted the bees.
Woody felt reassured by his encounter with the bees. After thanking them profusely for their kindness and friendship, he continued his walk towards Liberty Lane.
After a few hours had passed, Woody's stomach began to grumble with hunger. Just as he reached for a snack from his backpack, a distinct noise caught his attention… Curious about the source of the sound, he scanned the surroundings and spotted a woodpecker hammering on the bark of a nearby tree. Intrigued, Woody decided to approach the bird."
"I'm making holes to store acorns. And you, what are you doing in these parts of the wood?" asks the woodpecker.
"I'm on my way to my new home. My mom and I have to move," Woody answers.
"Really? What for?" asks the woodpecker.
"I put out my dad's fire unintentionally and he was so angry with me that he destroyed our home," Woody answers.
"Yes, I know, but it made him SO angry! I was really scared this time. Now, my mom and I have to move elsewhere," replies Woody.
"Over time, you will be able to understand that you do not have control over how others react. Your dad makes his own choices, regardless of how you think you behaved. Remember, HIS reaction is not your fault!" advises the woodpecker.
"Here, my friend, I offer you this gift," says the woodpecker.
Woody looks at the object and sees a piece of wood with the word gratitude engraved on it.
"What does gratitude mean?" Woody asks.
"Yes, that's true," Woody admits.
"Whenever you are going through a difficult time, try to make an effort to find something positive in your life. Focus on what you have, not what you don't," suggests the woodpecker.
Woody extends his gratitude to the woodpecker and assures him that he will cherish the blessings in his life to the fullest.
Hello Woody!
Seeing his mom again brings Woody a profound sense of reassurance. Additionally, he is deeply touched by the warm welcome extended by his new friends, leaving Woody at a loss for words to describe his emotions.
The journey has been long and filled with emotions, but Woody feels immense gratitude towards the staff at Liberty Lane and all the individuals he encountered along the way. Their kindness fills him with hope for a new beginning for both his mother and himself.
Reflecting on their support, Woody begins to understand that if he were truly responsible for the separation of his family, people wouldn't have extended such heartfelt efforts to help him. Woody's perspective on his circumstances has shifted...
It is really not
my fault!
Through a fun-loving story, a group of students wanted to convey an important message: Children who are victims of violence are in no way responsible for the harmful acts committed against them. Every child deserves to be respected, loved, and to live in safety.
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