By Bill Conley, America’s Favorite Children’s
Storyteller
A story about patience and peace on
every journey
Moral of the Story:
If you’re always asking, “How much longer?” You’ll miss the joy in every moment.
Be patient, stay curious, and enjoy the ride—because life is full of treasures
along the way. In a cozy little patch beneath the
waving fronds of a palm tree lived a young tortoise named Tilly. She had a
cheerful green shell with tiny golden specks and a mind that moved faster than
her little legs could carry her. Tilly loved adventures, but what she loved even more was
knowing exactly when they’d be over.
One sunny morning, Mama Tortoise
called out, “Tilly! We’re going on a family trip to the Great Garden Festival.
It’s going to be wonderful!”
Tilly peeked out of her shell with
sleepy eyes. “How long will it take?” she asked as she slowly climbed out of
bed.
“Not too long,” Mama smiled. “We’ll
take the wagon path through the garden, and there’ll be lots to see along the
way.”
As they packed up snacks, water, and
a fuzzy blanket, Tilly tugged gently on Papa’s shell. “Are we almost ready? And
how many minutes will it take to get there?”
“Soon, sweetie,” Papa said. “Let’s
not worry about the clock. Let’s enjoy the journey.”
They all climbed into the little wooden
wagon pulled by Grandpa Grumble the beetle—slow and steady, but strong and
dependable.
Tilly nestled beside her older
brother Toby and baby sister Tessa. Not five minutes had passed before Tilly
leaned over and asked, “How much longer?”
Toby rolled his eyes. “You just
asked that!”
“But it feels like forever already!”
Tilly huffed.
“Try counting the flowers we pass,”
Mama suggested. “Or spot how many birds are flying overhead.”
Tilly tried. For about a minute.
Then came: “How many more flowers till we’re there?”
Then: “How many more flaps of Grandpa Grumble’s wings?”
Then: “Are we getting closer or farther?”
Mama chuckled softly. “Tilly,
sometimes when we focus too hard on the destination, we forget to notice the
fun along the way.”
“But I just want to be there!” Tilly
moaned.
Papa Tortoise looked back from the
front of the wagon and said kindly, “Sometimes we rush through the journey and
miss out on the magic hiding in plain sight.”
Tilly sat quietly. She didn’t want
to miss any magic… but it still felt like it was taking forever.
Just then, Toby nudged her. “Want to
play the Leaf Game with me?”
“What’s that?”
“Every time we see a new leaf, we
make up a name for it. Like that big round one over there? That’s a ‘pancake
popper.’ And that one that twirls in the breeze? I call it a ‘whirligig
whisper.’”
Tilly’s eyes lit up. “Ooh! That
zigzag one can be the ‘lightning lettuce!’”
Together they played, laughing and
pointing as the wagon rolled on. Tilly forgot to ask how long it would take.
She was too busy imagining names like “wiggly wand,” “bouncy blade,” and
“tickle tongue.”
They passed a giggling family of
frogs having a picnic, a snail wearing a top hat reading a book, and a
butterfly dance troupe rehearsing on a flower stage.
“Wow,” said Tilly. “There’s so much
going on if I just… look!”
“That’s the secret,” Toby said. “The
journey is the adventure.”
When they finally arrived at the
Great Garden Festival, Tilly jumped out of the wagon with glee. There were
colorful tents, games, honey treats, and music made by crickets and
caterpillars.
She slid down the snail slide twice,
danced to a beetle band, and even painted a petal with a real hummingbird.
That night, back in the wagon
heading home, Papa turned around and asked, “So, who kept asking how much
longer today?”
Tilly giggled. “Not me! I was too
busy naming leaves and finding surprises!”
Mama leaned over and kissed her on
the head. “That’s my thoughtful traveler.”
Tilly beamed and watched the stars
come out one by one.
Moral
of the story poem:
If your mind keeps asking when,
Try to count from one to ten.
Play a game, or watch the trees,
Feel the sunshine, ride the breeze.
Don’t miss joy in every mile—
Travel slow, and wear a smile!
Thought-Provoking
Questions:
1.
What do
you miss when you’re always focused on “how much longer” instead of enjoying
where you are?
2.
Can you
think of some fun games or creative ideas you could try the next time you’re on
a long trip?
3.
Why is
learning to be patient such an important skill for both children and grown-ups?
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