Pride in performance: show what you're made of!

Stories from the Neflental: Show what you're made of!

There was a time in the Neflental valley that everyone called "Glanzhoch". It was special. The sun was bright in the sky and its light shimmered in gold, amber and coral red. The rivers sparkled as if sparks of fire were dancing on them, and in the evening the inhabitants gathered on the banks.

A new adventure began at Water Lily Bay, a quiet arm of the crystal lake. The water lily bay lay quietly, covered in large green leaves and delicate white flowers. Colourful fish swam beneath the surface of the water. Dragonflies with iridescent wings danced in the warm summer air.

One day, the valley council announced that a big festival was to be held by the water. At this "glamour festival", everyone was allowed to show off the special things they could do or had learned. Many were excited, because every people of the Neflen Valley had their own strengths and secret talents.

Rosa Periwinkle had often heard about how beautiful Water Lily Bay was. But until now, she had never dared to show off her skills there. She always thought: "The others must be better than me."

But this time Rosa wanted to take a chance. She remembered all the practice and time she had put into her skills. The thought of simply observing was no longer enough for her. She wanted to contribute something herself. So she thought about how she could make the glamour festival something really special.

Pink periwinkle discovers the power of pride

On the warm day of the festival, the air shimmered in sunshine gold and sapphire blue. The revellers sat by the water in colourful dresses. Lanterns glided silently above their heads like gentle stars. There was cheerful laughter, music and the scent of flowers everywhere.

When evening came, Rosa stepped out. Her knees trembled a little at first. But she took a deep breath and looked at the glistening bay of water lilies. She picked up a bundle of emerald green twigs from the fern forest.

Slowly and with steady hands, she began to lay the most beautiful patterns on the water. The fern leaves floated between the water lilies and formed little pictures of light and shadow. The dragonflies sat on them and their wings were reflected in the water. Everyone held their breath because no one had ever seen anything so magical.

Show what you're made of: the courage to try things out

Rosa Periwinkle heard the amazement all around her. Suddenly she realised how proud she was of what she had achieved. She had overcome her fear and dared to show the world her talent. She thought: "Everyone can do something special. I found my courage because I believed in myself."

Many people came to see Rosa after her performance. They wanted to know how she had done it. Rosa kindly explained it to them. Soon children were making their own works of art from fern leaves, and the bay continued to glow in new colours for many hours. Around the campfire, Rosa told her story and encouraged others: "Show what you're made of! Even if you're not sure, it's worth trying."

What do we learn from this?

Sometimes you don't have the courage to show something. But often everyone is just waiting for someone to take the first step. Everyone can be proud of what they have learnt or practised. Rosa Immergrün showed at Seerosenbucht that there is special strength in everyone. It's just a matter of believing in yourself and being courageous. And in the end, it's a great feeling to be proud of your achievements.

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