Openness makes you strong: dare to be yourself!

Openness makes you strong: The path along the fern shadow trail

A very special night began in the heart of the Neflental valley. Winter had the valley firmly in its grip and there was fresh, glistening snow everywhere. The frosty night had its own magic: when the full moon shone on the treetops of the forest and the stars twinkled like little diamonds in the sky, everything seemed enchanted.

A narrow path led along the edge of the forest, the fern shadow path. Metre-high ferns leaned over the path and formed a protective green canopy. Hoarfrost lay on their dense foliage, glistening like fine crystal in the darkness.

A strange light in the snow

That evening, Rosa Periwinkle walked carefully along the fern shadow path. Her thoughts jumped from branch to branch like little snowflakes. Every flake on the ground shimmered differently, because during the long nights of the frosty season, every snowflake in Neflental was given a tiny memory light. This made the carpet of snow seem almost alive and told quiet stories if you looked closely.

Rosa Periwinkle was not like the others. She dared to see the world with her own eyes. Sometimes she felt strange because she didn't always do what everyone else did. But today she decided to be proud of herself and bravely continue on her way. Suddenly she heard a spherical ringing of bells from a distance. The tones sounded like silver mist in the wind and made her heart light.

Encounter on the path

The longer Rosa Periwinkle travelled, the more stars flashed out from between the fern leaves. The whole fern shadow path was bathed in a silvery-white light. Around a bend, she spotted a small Flossian sitting shivering in the snow. Its shimmering skin looked almost transparent in the moonlight.

"Why are you here all alone?" Rosa Periwinkle asked kindly and sat down next to him. The Flossian looked away. "I'm afraid of saying the wrong thing," he murmured quietly, "the others think I'm strange because I like to sing, even if no one is listening."

In Neflental, everyone should be allowed to be who they are. Rosa Immergrün knew that. "You're not weird if you like to sing! Your voice makes the valley even more beautiful, especially on a frosty night like this."

Openness makes you strong!

While the bare branches bore glittering crystal drops, Rosa Periwinkle and the Flossian began to sing a song together. Their voices mingled with the ringing of bells from the valley. They sounded brave, cheerful and free. Everyone who passed by the Fern Shadow Path that evening stopped for a moment and smiled, even if it was only for a moment.

Openness makes you strong, thought Rosa Immergrün. Because only if we dare to be ourselves can we encourage others and show them how colourful and different we all are. So the frosty night on the Fern Shadow Trail became a very special memory for all the inhabitants of the Neflental.

What do we learn from this?

Openness makes you strong, especially if you dare to be who you are. You often make friends when you are honest and show others what makes you special. In Neflental, but also elsewhere, many people would like to experience this. Therefore: Be brave like Rosa Immergrün - and you will realise how beautiful life can be when you are open and genuine!

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