By Bill Conley
Moral of the Story:
Sometimes people say or do things that make it hard to like them—but that
doesn’t mean there’s no good in them. If we look a little deeper, we might find
kindness, courage, or caring hiding beneath the surface. When we choose to see
the good in others, even when it’s difficult, we become a light that helps them
shine. Learning to look with our hearts, not just our eyes, is the beginning of
real friendship and true understanding.
In the golden woodlands of Harmony
Hollow, where the trees whispered secrets and streams giggled over rocks, lived
a gentle bird named Nora.
Nora the nightingale was known far
and wide for her beautiful voice. When she sang, the forest stood still—flowers
opened wider, bees buzzed softer, and even the wind paused to listen.
But while Nora’s songs were lovely,
she struggled with something very different.
She had a hard time seeing the good
in others—especially if they didn’t act or speak kindly.
“Why should I be nice to him?”
she once said about Finley the fox. “He’s grumpy and loud.”
“Or her?” she asked about
Greta the goose. “She always takes the best berries and never shares.”
Nora believed people should deserve
kindness before you gave it.
One day, the animals gathered at the
river for the annual Forest Festival. There would be races, dancing, food, and
songs—Nora’s favorite.
But this year, Mervin the mole was
chosen to organize the games.
Mervin was quiet. Awkward. Clumsy.
He tripped over pebbles, forgot
names, and always wore his glasses upside down.
“Oh great,” Nora muttered. “This
will be a mess.”
As Mervin started the games, he
mixed up the teams. He dropped the scorecards. He even called Nora “Nola.”
She fluffed her feathers and
whispered to herself, “This is exactly why I stay away from him.”
After the games, the animals
gathered for lunch. Nora saw Finley the fox drop his cup and growl at the
nearest squirrel.
“See?” she said. “Grumpy.”
She flew to a quiet branch and sang
a sad little tune.
Just then, Old Owl landed beside
her. He had heard it all.
“Why so gloomy, songbird?” he asked.
“I just don’t understand why
everyone can’t be nicer,” Nora said. “Some animals are so hard to like.”
Old Owl nodded. “Yes, some are. But
have you ever tried to see why they act that way?”
Nora blinked. “Why should I?”
“Because there’s always a reason.
And there’s always good—even if it’s hiding,” Owl said. “Sometimes people carry
hurts you can’t see.”
Nora looked out over the crowd.
She saw Finley alone under a tree,
quietly handing his snack to a hungry raccoon.
She saw Greta laughing as she helped a chipmunk out of a mud puddle.
And she saw Mervin helping a baby bunny tie its shoes—twice—because the bunny
forgot how.
Nora’s feathers flattened in
surprise.
“Maybe… maybe I was wrong.”
Old Owl smiled. “When we seek the
good, we often find it. And when we believe in it, we help it grow.”
That night, as the festival closed,
Nora stepped up to the stage to sing.
But before she did, she said
something she’d never said before.
“This song is for the quiet ones,
the awkward ones, the loud ones, and the ones who are still learning. I’ve
learned today that if we only look at the outside, we might miss something
beautiful on the inside.”
The crowd grew still.
Then she sang—a song softer and
sweeter than any she had sung before.
And something changed in the forest
that night.
Finley smiled more. Greta shared
more. Mervin stood a little taller.
And Nora? She kept singing—but now
she sang with her heart wide open.
Moral Poem to End the Story:
Even when it's hard to see,
There’s good in you and good in me.
Look past grumbles, frowns, and noise,
To find the heart, the hope, the joys.
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