In a world whispered by winds and sung by rivers, a young girl with curious eyes wandered through a forest of ancient trees. Each step was a question, each breath a wonder.

One golden morning, she came across an owl, perched solemnly in an old oak tree. “Owl, why do you watch so quietly?” she asked.

“In silence, one learns,” the owl replied, its eyes deep with wisdom.

“How so?”

“Listen to the wind, the leaves and the stars. They tell the story of the world.”

The girl listened, and the forest whispered its secrets.

As she wandered, a gentle deer appeared. The girl followed the deer replicating each gentle step the deer made. “Deer, why do you tread so softly?” she enquired. “It must take sooooo long to get to everywhere or anywhere?”

The deer turned and smiled. “The forest is kind,” the deer answered, its eyes soft. “It gives us home, food, and peace. We must walk with care, though, for it is fragile. Follow me for a while and I’ll show you.”

The girl nodded and walked gently behind the deer trying her best not to leave a single footprint. She began feeling the forest’s heartbeat as she stepped carefully and quietly away, watched by the deer. The girl turned to wave, but the deer had vanished.

She journeyed on…

Near the river’s edge, where waters bubbled spiritedly over green slippy pebbles, the girl asked the river, “Why do you always flow?”

“Life is a journey,” the river murmured. “Always moving, changing, growing. I touch all life, from the mountains to the sea.”

“Don’t you get tired?” she enquired.

“No. I just go with the flow. You should try it.”

“But my feet will get wet.”

“And…?”

“I’ll have to remove my shoes and socks.”

The river chuckled.

“Can I stand in you?” asked the girl. “At the edge, here where it’s shallow?”

“You may,” replied the river. “Be careful, I’m cold enough to take your breath away.”

The river was right; the girl sat down on a rock and removed her shoes and socks and tiptoed gently into the shallow edges of the river. “Aren’t you cold?” asked the girl – her teeth chattering.

“Aren’t your feet warm?” asked the river.

“I don’t know,” replied the girl in a puzzled fashion. “I haven’t really thought about it. My teeth are cold.”

The river laughed out loud and the girl giggled and skipped out of the river and dried her feet on her patterned white socks.

For a while, she sat by the river, her heart full of thoughts…

As the sun began to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, she felt a warmth inside her. She realised that each encounter in the forest had gifted her a piece of wisdom. The owl taught her to observe and listen, the deer showed her to tread with respect and care, and the river reminded her of life’s constant flow and change and made her question if her feet were warm or cold.

It had been the best of days.