Hector the Caterpillar
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Hector was a caterpillar who lived under my cherry tree. I would often see him inching along through his busy day, and I liked to speak to him with encouraging words. One day, as I tended to my tree, he decided to speak to me. Taken by surprise, I leaned in closer to see him. Rising up as tall as he could, he boldly introduced himself to me. "Hello, my name is Hector,” he said, “and who might you be?" I introduced myself, and we got along quite well. During our friendly conversation, I asked him why he was still wearing such a heavy fur coat on such a wonderful summer day, and he began to tell me his story...
It seemed that Hector was afraid! He felt quite small, and he feared that if he took off his big, furry coat, he would be nothing but a worm. Oh, what a chuckle I had. “A worm!” I said, between gasps. “You won’t be a worm! You will sleep and dream, and all the beauty you can imagine will drift from heaven, turning you into a whole new being!” “That’s what I’ve heard,” he said, with a frown of uncertainty. We talked for some time, but I was not able to convince Hector that something wonderful was waiting for him. We became good friends, Hector and I, and we always managed to share a giggle or two under the shade of the cherry tree. We often spoke of his fear. It seemed he couldn’t imagine being anything more than he was. He feared if he let go of what he knew, and the stories of what he could be weren't true, he would be lost forever in his dark cocoon.
I understood his concern. It was quite a leap to believe that this furry little fellow could grow into such beauty—that he could trade in all those little legs for two glorious wings...and fly! Hector had crawled all his life. What if he didn’t like flying? What if he didn't like being so high in the air? No, Hector thought that he had better stay right where he was. He’d better keep all his feet planted firmly against the tree. At times, when I would be cleaning away old leaves and whatnot from my beautiful tree, I would ask him, “Don’t you ever wonder what lies beyond this tree? Why, if I had wings, I would fly over to Tilly Mingle’s yard on 4th Street and nibble some of her morning glories, or fly over to Old Man Rudyard’s place, for a taste of his vegetable delights.” Hector would listen as I chattered on, and I could tell he gave it much thought. He asked many questions in the time we spent together, and I told him many tales of when I was a child, when the world was so different from the way it is today. "Change is good,” I would tell him. “It brings adventure to the heart, wonder to the mind, and magic to the life."
Then, one day, as I came to the old cherry tree, I didn’t hear Hector's cheery hello, which always greeted my approach. I thought he must have slept in, but as I sang and tended to my tree, I saw a small white sack clinging to his familiar branch. My hand pulled back slowly, and I felt a sad tug at my heart. Hector had decided to fly! I would miss my little friend, but I would never forget the laughs we shared or the memories we made. He was here for a moment, to grow and find his way. In sharing our time together, he found the courage he needed, and, finally, he was able...to believe.
*All rights reserved under copyright
It seemed that Hector was afraid! He felt quite small, and he feared that if he took off his big, furry coat, he would be nothing but a worm. Oh, what a chuckle I had. “A worm!” I said, between gasps. “You won’t be a worm! You will sleep and dream, and all the beauty you can imagine will drift from heaven, turning you into a whole new being!” “That’s what I’ve heard,” he said, with a frown of uncertainty. We talked for some time, but I was not able to convince Hector that something wonderful was waiting for him. We became good friends, Hector and I, and we always managed to share a giggle or two under the shade of the cherry tree. We often spoke of his fear. It seemed he couldn’t imagine being anything more than he was. He feared if he let go of what he knew, and the stories of what he could be weren't true, he would be lost forever in his dark cocoon.
I understood his concern. It was quite a leap to believe that this furry little fellow could grow into such beauty—that he could trade in all those little legs for two glorious wings...and fly! Hector had crawled all his life. What if he didn’t like flying? What if he didn't like being so high in the air? No, Hector thought that he had better stay right where he was. He’d better keep all his feet planted firmly against the tree. At times, when I would be cleaning away old leaves and whatnot from my beautiful tree, I would ask him, “Don’t you ever wonder what lies beyond this tree? Why, if I had wings, I would fly over to Tilly Mingle’s yard on 4th Street and nibble some of her morning glories, or fly over to Old Man Rudyard’s place, for a taste of his vegetable delights.” Hector would listen as I chattered on, and I could tell he gave it much thought. He asked many questions in the time we spent together, and I told him many tales of when I was a child, when the world was so different from the way it is today. "Change is good,” I would tell him. “It brings adventure to the heart, wonder to the mind, and magic to the life."
Then, one day, as I came to the old cherry tree, I didn’t hear Hector's cheery hello, which always greeted my approach. I thought he must have slept in, but as I sang and tended to my tree, I saw a small white sack clinging to his familiar branch. My hand pulled back slowly, and I felt a sad tug at my heart. Hector had decided to fly! I would miss my little friend, but I would never forget the laughs we shared or the memories we made. He was here for a moment, to grow and find his way. In sharing our time together, he found the courage he needed, and, finally, he was able...to believe.
*All rights reserved under copyright
An Amazing Rescue
When a sudden summer storm lends hands to mischief, Jackson and Gram find themselves answering a frantic call for help. Miss Stella, a lifelong friend of Gram, and town merchant of the local Animal Farm & Feed Store, finds herself up to her elbows in damages and loose, frightened, animals. Can Jackson and Gram help to bring order back out of all this chaos? Will Miss Stella ever regain the peaceful zoo environment she had provided to the misplaced and often forgotten animals of the surrounding areas? Jackson knew most of the animals from his frequent visits to the Animal Farm with Gram, and he sure hoped that would help him in rounding them up with ease and safety.
Damages were surveyed, and tasks were assigned, and many helping hands gathered and worked togethers as neighbors. Jackson is impressed with the great sense of Community seen among all their helpful friends, but one thing keeps pulling at his thoughts. How did one quick summer storm do all this damage?
Damages were surveyed, and tasks were assigned, and many helping hands gathered and worked togethers as neighbors. Jackson is impressed with the great sense of Community seen among all their helpful friends, but one thing keeps pulling at his thoughts. How did one quick summer storm do all this damage?
