There once was a little baby named Bracken who was born in a cozy home in a magical forest. His eyes were the deepest blue, just like the wild blueberries that grew nearby. His parents knew in their hearts that even though this baby was in a human body, he had been a forest creature. Bracken had decided to be in human form for awhile, but he still missed his forest friends and woodland way of life. Every morning he would wake up in bed, next to his Dad and Mama, and eagerly look out the window. His little human body (with  little tiny stomach that needed to be constantly filled) said it was time for breakfast. Bracken’s Mama could tell the signs and would bring him to nurse. Some mornings he would get so distracted looking out the window that he would forget to eat for a moment. His Mama would hold him up so he could see better. Oh boy! Would he laugh with delight when his forest friends came to visit him! Though his Mama couldn’t see them, she could see the sparkle in Bracken’s eyes. She could hear his giggles and feel his glee and she knew exactly what was going on. Bracken would be so happy to see his playmates that he would try to jump right out of his Mama’s arms and fly outside to be with them. But then he would realize he was now in a human body and his plump little baby legs were not quite ready for such things. Even though Bracken loved his new life and parents, his forest friends knew that Bracken wanted to come play with them and that he missed his beloved woods terribly, so they came daily to cheer him up. They would sing and dance little jigs in front of the window that would delight Bracken to no end! There were so many of them. The ornery, playful gang of joy guides- Acorn, Moss, Nut, Maple, Twig, Seed and Pebble. (The joy guides were the ones who could bring the kind of laughter that made your sides ache.) There was a whole community of tiny and jolly gnomes, flocks of faeries (from many different tribes including the sun faeries, moon faeries and moth-riders), gnobbly-nosed dwarfs, elfs and elves (don’t get the two confused now, they are only distantly related, though both do have beautifully pointed ears), and so many other kinds of earth creatures that it could fill a book. Not to mention all the animals that came to see him through the window as well!

Then it would be time for Bracken to eat and sleep, he was still in a baby human body after all, so Mama would laugh at his friends’ silliness and then tell them (kindly) to Shoo so Bracken could get some rest. And of course, they could come back again later.

All the creatures of the wood adored Bracken with all their hearts and they missed him no longer living in the woods. Bracken’s Dad and Mama would bring him outside for some fresh air for little bits, but it was winter time so he mostly needed to be inside by the woodstove keeping warm. So the forest creatures decided to visit more often and they no longer waited outside the window. They noticed a sign that Bracken’s Mama and Dad had put on the front door that said ‘Faery Folk Welcome.’ So they came right in! Soon the house was so full, and there was so much warmth, that they hardly needed a fire. It didn’t even seem like winter time with the feeling of celebration, festivity, and jolliness filling their home. 

Every now and then Mama and Dad would see something out of the corner of their eye. Sometimes a movement would turn into a fuzzy moth or a teensy, dainty bug with suspiciously faery-like wings. And Mama saw some mysterious splashes in the front pond and had the sneaking suspicion that some mermaids had moved in. Not to mention the faery footprints in the dust by the woodstove (and the tiny markings from a gnome’s broom- bless their hearts for helping clean up!) Dad would hear music that sounded far off in the distance and would slowly grow louder. Mama would hear it too. If they relaxed their eyes just so, they could see glowing, dancing lights. Yes, it seems the forest creatures were in and out all the time. Filling the house with song, dance, and leaving little gifts behind. They brought smiles, laughter, and a jolly feeling that could be sensed in the very center of the heart. 

Something bright was being awakened in Mama and Dad. They were starting to see the world through Bracken’s eyes. And what a beautiful world it was!