There was once a group of animals who lived in a forest. They were all friends and enjoyed spending time together, playing and exploring.
One day, a timid rabbit named Tim spread a rumor that a fearsome dragon lived in the forest, and that anyone who encountered it would be in great danger. The animals were terrified and began to avoid going out into the forest at all. They stayed safely in their homes, too afraid to venture out and explore.
But one day, a curious little squirrel named Sam decided to investigate. He climbed to the top of a tree and looked out over the forest. To his surprise, he saw no sign of the dragon. In fact, he saw all sorts of interesting things he had never noticed before: a babbling brook, a patch of wildflowers, and a cozy little den where he could take a nap.
Sam went back to his friends and told them what he had seen. “There’s no dragon!” he exclaimed. “The forest is full of wonderful things to explore and enjoy.”
Tim, the rabbit who had spread the rumor, was skeptical. “But I saw a movement of shadow that I’m sure was the dragon!” he said.
Sam chuckled and replied, “That was probably just the movement of the branches in the wind. Don’t let your fears get the best of you. The forest is a safe and wonderful place to explore.”
Determined to prove his point, Sam took Tim for a walk through the forest. As they walked, Tim kept a close eye out for the dragon. But as they approached the spot where he had seen the movement of shadow, they both saw that it was just the branches of a tree moving in the wind. They both laughed at the absurdity of it all.
Tim was convinced, and he and the other animals decided to venture out and explore the forest for themselves. And to their delight, they discovered that Sam was right: there was no dragon, just a beautiful and wondrous world waiting to be explored.
This story illustrates the idea that fear is often only created in our minds, it’s our projection and in our stories.
When we let go of our fears and embrace the unknown, we may discover that it is full of beautiful and wonderful things waiting to be explored.