🐟🪸 The Reef Race: a mindful children's story

0:05 [SPEAKER_00]: Hello, Awe Islanders. [SPEAKER_00]: We're so glad you're here. [SPEAKER_00]: Let's see if you have everything you want to be calm on Awe Island. [SPEAKER_00]: Are the lights in your room dim or off? [SPEAKER_00]: Do you have your favorite blanket or listening buddy? [SPEAKER_00]: Before we begin our story, let's relax by taking a nice deep dragon breath.

0:38 [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in through your nose, filling up your lungs, and then out through your mouth. [SPEAKER_00]: Imagining you are breathing fire like a dragon. [SPEAKER_00]: Ready? [SPEAKER_00]: Deep breath in and out. [SPEAKER_00]: Great. [SPEAKER_00]: Let's think about how your body feels resting on a sunny beach.

1:16 [SPEAKER_00]: This is all pretend and you are very safe. [SPEAKER_00]: You sit down in the soft warm sand. [SPEAKER_00]: The sand hugs you as you lie back on the cozy beach. [SPEAKER_00]: Think about your feet as you push your toes into the sand. [SPEAKER_00]: Imagine the soft grains of sand slide in between your toes, gently rubbing your feet.

1:50 [SPEAKER_00]: As you relax, let's take another deep dragon breath, in and out. [SPEAKER_00]: Imagine the soft sandy beach supporting your back and giving you a big hug. [SPEAKER_00]: Now open your hands, spreading your fingers, imagine the grains of sand falling between your fingers. [SPEAKER_00]: your hands relax, settling into the safe warm sand, as you take one more deep, dragon breath in and out.

2:53 [SPEAKER_00]: Great job, everyone. [SPEAKER_00]: I hope you are tucked in, nice and cozy. [SPEAKER_00]: And now we're ready to begin our story. [SPEAKER_00]: Let's be calm on our way island. [SPEAKER_00]: Our story today is grief, grace. [SPEAKER_00]: Sunlight shimmered through the crystal clear blue waters of Awe Island Sound, making wiggly patterns on the sandy sea floor.

3:34 [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie seahors floated in her favorite patch of tall green sea grass. [SPEAKER_00]: It was a particularly peaceful morning, and Sadie was spending it drawing pictures in the sand. [SPEAKER_00]: That looks just like Mildred Moray eel, Sadie thought. [SPEAKER_00]: Next, she drew a spiral, which reminded her of the curly shells that hermit crabs sometimes carried.

4:09 [SPEAKER_00]: Then she made a small star, just like the starfish that lounged around the reef. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie smiled at her pictures. [SPEAKER_00]: She was deciding what to draw next when something shiny flashed through the water. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie, a familiar voice called. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie glanced up and saw Tierra tuna zipping toward her.

4:36 [SPEAKER_00]: The little tuna's silvery scales glittered in the sunlight. [SPEAKER_00]: Hi, Sadie. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm so glad I found you. [SPEAKER_00]: TRX claimed it's such a beautiful day, and I'm in the mood for a game. [SPEAKER_00]: Do you want to play? [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie floated a bit higher to greet her friend.

5:01 [SPEAKER_00]: What kind of game she asked? [SPEAKER_00]: A reef race, T.R.A said as she spun around excitedly. [SPEAKER_00]: We'll start here, swim around that tall coral, pass the big round rock, loop up around the seaweed forest, and race all the way back. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie turned and looked at the proposed race course.

5:27 [SPEAKER_00]: Racing did not sound very fun to Sadie. [SPEAKER_00]: Tiaro was a tuna, and she could swim much faster than a sea horse. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie preferred simply drifting through the water, noticing everything around her, and appreciating the beauty of the away and island reef. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, Tiaro, I'm not so sure, Sadie began [SPEAKER_00]: Come on, start right beside me.

5:58 [SPEAKER_00]: TRS said eagerly, we'll go around the coral together and see who gets back first. [SPEAKER_00]: TRS seemed so excited. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie was happy that her friend had come to find her, and she did want to spend time together. [SPEAKER_00]: She just really did not want to race. [SPEAKER_00]: But T.R.A seemed so sure they would both enjoy the game.

6:26 [SPEAKER_00]: That Sadie wondered if maybe she should give it a chance. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie took a deep dragon breath in and out. [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, let's race. [SPEAKER_00]: She said to Tierra. [SPEAKER_00]: Great Tierra said with a big grin. [SPEAKER_00]: The two friends lined up beside the sea grass.

7:03 [SPEAKER_00]: Ready? [SPEAKER_00]: Set. [SPEAKER_00]: Go. [SPEAKER_00]: Call Tierra. [SPEAKER_00]: The little tuna shot through the water. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie paddled her tiny fins as quickly as she could. [SPEAKER_00]: She hurried around the tall coral and passed the big rock. [SPEAKER_00]: By then, Tierra was already far ahead, just a flash of sparkly scales near the seaweed forest.

7:31 [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie kept going. [SPEAKER_00]: She rounded the seaweed and made her way back toward the starting spot. [SPEAKER_00]: You made it, TRX claimed, that was so much fun, don't you think? [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie did not answer right away because she was still catching her breath. [SPEAKER_00]: It had felt good to move her body, but she had been concentrating so hard on swimming quickly that she had barely noticed anything around her.

8:06 [SPEAKER_00]: do you want to do it again? [SPEAKER_00]: Ask Tierra. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie glanced toward her favorite Sandy spot. [SPEAKER_00]: She really wanted to drift back there and relax. [SPEAKER_00]: But Tierra was smiling so happily and Sadie did not want [SPEAKER_00]: Ready, set, go, Tira called.

8:41 [SPEAKER_00]: Once more, Tira raced ahead. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie followed, swimming as quickly as she could. [SPEAKER_00]: As Sadie passed, the big round rock. [SPEAKER_00]: She noticed a tiny sea slug crawling on it. [SPEAKER_00]: She wished she could stop and look, but Tira was already disappearing [SPEAKER_00]: When Sadie finally returned to the starting point, Tierra was waiting again.

9:13 [SPEAKER_00]: I think I swam even faster that time. [SPEAKER_00]: Tierra said, maybe you can catch me next time. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie frowned. [SPEAKER_00]: Tierra noticed it said, oh, Sadie, I'm sorry I'm so fast. [SPEAKER_00]: I can swim slower next time if you want. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie looked at her friend, truth be told she didn't really care whether she wanted or lost the race at all.

9:43 [SPEAKER_00]: She simply didn't enjoy rushing through the reef. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie wrapped her tail around a blade of [SPEAKER_00]: Tira, I think I should have told you something before we started. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie said, racing isn't very fun for me. [SPEAKER_00]: I have to work so hard to swim fast that I don't get to enjoy anything around me.

10:28 [SPEAKER_00]: The little Tuna looked into her friends' eyes. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I'm sorry. [SPEAKER_00]: Tira said softly. [SPEAKER_00]: I wanted to play with you, said he continued. [SPEAKER_00]: I just didn't know how to say that racing wasn't a very good game for me. [SPEAKER_00]: T.R. [SPEAKER_00]: looked back at the course they had been swimming.

10:54 [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't think about that, she admitted. [SPEAKER_00]: Swimming fast feels easy to me, so I thought racing would be fun for both of us. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie nodded. [SPEAKER_00]: I should have told you what I wanted, instead of hoping you would know. [SPEAKER_00]: And I should have asked what kind of game would work for you, too.

11:17 [SPEAKER_00]: The hour replied apologetically. [SPEAKER_00]: For a moment, the two friends floated silently in the water. [SPEAKER_00]: So, how would you like to spend the morning? [SPEAKER_00]: Here I finally asked. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie smiled. [SPEAKER_00]: Here, let me show you what I was working on.

11:40 [SPEAKER_00]: He said the little sea horse. [SPEAKER_00]: She let Tira over to the sea floor, where she had been drawing before. [SPEAKER_00]: Her pictures had faded a bit as the water moved over them, but Tierra could still make out the wavy eel, the spiral shell, and the little star. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, wow!

12:03 [SPEAKER_00]: Tierra exclaimed, you drew all of these? [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, Sadie said, with a proud grin, I like to draw all the things I notice around the reef. [SPEAKER_00]: You really pay close attention to the world around you. [SPEAKER_00]: Tira observed, Sadie smiled, I liked noticing little things she said.

12:30 [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe we could turn that into a game. [SPEAKER_00]: Suggested Tira. [SPEAKER_00]: Tierra decided to go first. [SPEAKER_00]: I spy something small and pink. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie searched among the rocks in secret, until she spotted a tiny shell half buried in the sand. [SPEAKER_00]: That shell asked Sadie.

13:00 [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, Tierra exclaimed. [SPEAKER_00]: Now it was Sadie's turn. [SPEAKER_00]: T.R.A. [SPEAKER_00]: appeared around for anything in motion until she got a glimpse of a tiny creature crawling away from the rocks. [SPEAKER_00]: It's a little crab. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie left. [SPEAKER_00]: You found it.

13:27 [SPEAKER_00]: The friends continue playing as they drifted through the reef. [SPEAKER_00]: Take in turn, spotting things, and guessing them. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, I'm really glad we played this game. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm noticing a lot more than I usually do, said tiara. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm having a lot of fun.

13:48 [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for asking what I wanted to do. [SPEAKER_00]: Said say, T.R.A. [SPEAKER_00]: smiled. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm glad we figured out a game that works for both of us. [SPEAKER_00]: Me too, said Sady. [SPEAKER_00]: Next time, I'll tell you sooner if something doesn't work well for me. [SPEAKER_00]: And I'll remember to ask what you want to do instead of deciding for both of us.

14:13 [SPEAKER_00]: T.R.A. [SPEAKER_00]: promised. [SPEAKER_00]: The two friends bombed Vince and continued their game until they were both sleepy, and it was time to head home for a nap. [SPEAKER_00]: As soon as Tierra had left, Sadie settled back into her favorite patch of tall secrets. [SPEAKER_00]: She wrapped her curly tail around one blade, and let the gentle water rock her back and forth.

14:48 [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie relaxed her fins, and let out a big E.D.O. [SPEAKER_00]: As she thought of everything she was grateful for, she felt grateful that D.R.A had wanted to spend the morning with her, [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie took a deep, dragon breath in and out. [SPEAKER_00]: She felt grateful that she had told Tierra how racing felt for her, instead of expecting her friend to simply know.

15:38 [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie took another deep dragon breath in and out. [SPEAKER_00]: Most of all, Sadie felt grateful that she and T.R. [SPEAKER_00]: had listened to each other, and found a game they could both enjoy. [SPEAKER_00]: Sadie messled deeper into the swing Seagras, and took one final, deep dragon breath in and out.

16:36 [SPEAKER_00]: Her body relaxed, her mind grew quiet, and say he fell asleep, dreaming of all the beautiful things she and Tierra might discover together. [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for joining us to be calm on our way Island. [SPEAKER_00]: See you next time.