Once upon a time, in a magical forest, there lived a wise old tree named Ted. Ted loved to lend a helping hand to all the creatures that lived in the forest. But one day, a mischievous little squirrel named Sammy came to Ted with a problem.

Sammy had lost his way and couldn't find his way back to his home in the tree tops. Ted offered to help, but there was a catch. Sammy had to learn a lesson about being careful and paying attention to his surroundings.

Ted instructed Sammy to pick a leaf from the ground and hold it in his front paws. Then, he told Sammy to close his eyes and let the leaf lead him back to his home. Sammy was a bit skeptical, but he did as he was told.

As Sammy followed the leaf, he walked in a straight line, but suddenly, he came across a letter lying on the ground. The letter read, "Turn left, and you'll find your way home." Sammy followed the instructions and turned left.

Next, he encountered a small stream. The water was too deep for Sammy to cross without getting his legs wet, but he didn't want to let go of the leaf. So, he decided to make a bridge by laying down some twigs and branches.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Sammy reached his home. He was so happy to be back and thanked Ted for helping him. Ted explained that the whole exercise was a lesson on learning to pay attention to his surroundings and to not be afraid to ask for help.

Sammy realized that sometimes the best way to find your way is to leave your comfort zone and take a chance. From that day on, Sammy was never lost in the forest again, and he made sure to always lend a helping hand to others.

And that, my dear friends, is the story of Sammy the squirrel and the magical leaf.

Reflections

1. What did Ted the tree want Sammy the squirrel to learn?
2. Why did Sammy have to hold a leaf in his front paws?
3. What did the letter that Sammy found on the ground say?
4. Why did Sammy lay down twigs and branches to cross the stream?
5. How did Sammy feel when he finally made it back to his home?
6. What did Sammy learn about himself from this experience?
7. Do you think Sammy will be careful and pay attention to his surroundings from now on? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever been lost or felt unsure of your way? What did you do to find your way back?
9. What can we learn from Sammy's story about asking for help and finding our way in life?