Story from the Neflental: Your superpower trick for a happy life

The Neflental was particularly beautiful on this autumn day. The trees shone everywhere in golden, copper-red and cinnamon-brown light. Mist swirled between the large beech shadows like fine smoke. The air was cool and the soft, rustling leaves covered the forest floor like a colourful carpet of copper and gold.

Pink evergreen goes to the Traumsteg

Rosa Periwinkle stood at the edge of the copper forest. She took a deep breath because she liked the scent of damp earth and falling leaves so much. She walked slowly over the rustling leaves and heard the soft tapping of the drops falling from the mist onto the leaves.

Her favourite place was waiting on the shore of the lake - the dream jetty. It was old, creaked a little when someone walked over the planks and led out over a quiet side arm of the water. At night, lovers whispered their most secret wishes to the wind here, but this afternoon Rosa Periwinkle was all alone. She sat down at the end of the jetty and let her legs dangle.

Why gratitude is a superpower trick

Rosa Periwinkle was not sad, but her heart still felt a little heavy. Lately, she had often thought of many things that had not gone so well. But now she could see the sun's rays shining through the mist onto the water. The colours of the leaves were reflected on the surface and shimmered in copper, gold and cinnamon brown. Rosa Periwinkle had to smile because it looked so beautiful.

Then she remembered something her friend from the book village had once told her. „Gratitude is like a superpower!“ she had said. „If you're grateful, you can recognise every little happiness much better and feel much happier.“ Rosa Immergrün wanted to see if this would work for her too.

Experience gratitude in the copper forest

She closed her eyes and began to think of things she was grateful for. For the sparkling mist that made the copper forest so mysterious. For the dream walkway, where she always had peace and quiet, and the friendly animals that lived here. For the rustling leaves under her feet that sound so beautiful.

Rosa Periwinkle also thought of her friends from the Neflental. She was grateful because she can always rely on the Buchians and because the Flossians sometimes invite her to play in the lake. She was also grateful for the Bergsteins and their funny stories. Suddenly Rosa's heart felt much lighter and the smile on her face grew bigger.

When she opened her eyes again, everything around her was even more beautiful than before. The water sparkled even brighter. A little squirrel toddled past her and waved its bushy tail at her. This made Rosa Periwinkle giggle softly.

Spreading happiness in the Neflental

Rosa Periwinkle jumped up and ran back across the dream walkway through the copper forest. She wanted to share her happiness with the others. In the village, she told everyone about the gratitude trick. The villagers gathered and sat down together on the soft leaves. Everyone told what they were grateful for.

Even the sky over the Neflental seemed to clear as everyone experienced a great feeling of happiness together. The voices sounded like music and red mist danced in the sun. In the evening, as Rosa Periwinkle walked back to the Dream Bridge, she heard the whisper of the wind: Thank you for sharing the happiness.

What do we learn from this?

If you feel sad, try it out: Think about what you are grateful for. It can be the little things in everyday life - like a beautiful tree, a friend or a few colourful leaves in the park. Gratitude makes your heart light and gives you new strength. In Neflental, this superpower trick works for everyone, because friendship and happiness grow when we share them.

You want the book Order "Pink evergreen and the golden oak leaf" - click here!. Also like to take Contact the author Kira Kimmelmann at or read more short stories by Pink evergreen here.