Acceptance: Why being different makes us strong together!

Stories from the Neflental: Being different in the maple glade

A very special festival takes place in the heart of the Neflental every autumn. The colourful leaves of the maple firelight glow in bright red and warm orange. The people of the valley gather here to celebrate the changing of the seasons. They dance together through the rustling leaves.

Rosa Immergrün has also set off on her journey. She is looking forward to meeting new faces. When she arrives at the flaming trees, she sees the Bergsteins from the high mountains. She recognises the Buchians with their bark-like skin. The Flossians shine blue like the water in the early morning light.

But someone is sitting alone at the edge of the clearing. It is Lumi, a Flossian child. Lumi has silvery scales that conjure up a little rainbow in the autumn light every time she moves. The other children look curiously, but some whisper: "Lumi looks different. Have you seen that?"

Together on the time mirror

Rosa Periwinkle notices Lumi and sits down next to him. "Do you want to come with us? We'll dash to the time mirror light!" Rosa asks in a friendly manner. Lumi hesitates, but then gets up. Together they walk to the clearing where floating mirrors hang between the ferns. Different seasons dance in each mirror: Emerald green springs, golden summer fields, vermilion autumn forests and blue-grey winter landscapes.

Rosa dives into a mirror and shouts: "It's spring! Look, the leaves are shining like gemstones." Lumi discovers the image of a clear winter lake in the next mirror. The other children approach curiously and admire the colours.

Why being different makes the Neflental strong

Soon the children want to play together. But one of the Bergsteins stops. "Lumi, your scales are strange. They shine so funny." Lumi looks down at the ground, embarrassed.

Rosa asks: "What would happen if everything in the Neflental was the same? No colourful leaves, no rainbow on the lake, no changing seasons? Would we still be so special then?" The children think about the question.

A Flossian shouts: "I think Lumi's scales are great! They shine like the mirrors here." A Buchian nods: "There are lots of different trees in the forest. They make the forests strong and alive." The children learn that everyone in the Neflental valley looks different. The clearing is also alive with colours and shapes.

The group starts to play together. They run across the colourful foliage. They jump into different mirrors and create stories in which everyone can show their strength.

What do we learn from this?

In Neflental, being different makes everyone strong together. The colours of the maple firelight, the magic of the time mirror light and the great children show: Together we are as colourful as the leaves in autumn. Everyone brings something unique to the table and makes life richer. When we accept each other for who we are, we become friends and find true happiness in being together.

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.