Sunny’s

Insideasunflowerwherethereweremany,manyseeds,layatinyseedcalledSunny.ThesunflowerwasSunny’shome,andshewashappythere.Itwaswarmandcozy. FleurandDandywereSunny’sbestfriends,andtheylivedinthesamesunflowerasSunny.

Alldaylongtheylayontheirsoft,fluffybed,intheheartofthebigsunflower.Theysoakedupthesun,andsometimesenjoyedaniceshowerfromtherain.Atothertimesthebreezewouldgentlystroketheirfaces.“Whoosh,”itwouldsay,andSunny,Fleur,andDandywouldcuddleclosetoeachother.Theywereveryhappy.

Adventure

Onedaythesunwasn’tasbrightasusual.Thewindfeltcold.Theraindropsfellharderandharder.Sunnyknewthatthiswasautumn.Thewarmsummerdayshadended,andsoonallthelittleseedsweregoingtohavetoleavethebigsunflowerandfindnewhomes. Sunnywasalittlesad.Shewasgoingtomissherfriends,DandyandFleur.I’m going to miss my happy home when I have to go somewhere else, shethoughtwithasigh.

Thenithappened,onedayabiggustofwindblewthroughthefieldofsunflowers.ThewindwassostrongthatsoonallthelittleseedsinSunny’ssunflowerhomecameflyingoutoftheirwarmbedandtumbledtotheground.ThewindtossedSunnyout,andFleurandDandy,too.

Tumble,tumble,theywent.Thewindsmadethemspinandtwirl,blowingthemhere,andthensendingthemthere.Theylandedinapatchofsoftgrass.Thankfully,Sunny,Dandy,andFleurwereallneareachother. “Areyouokay?”Sunnyaskedherfriends. “Yes!”saidDandy.“We’reokay!Butit’ssocold,andthewindisstillblowing.” “Thisgrassissotall,Icanbarelyseethesky,”Fleursaidwithashiver.“Whatevershouldwedo?” “Iknow,”Sunnysaid.“Let’sdigdeepintotheground.Thenwe’llbewarm!” Thelittlesunflowerseedsburiedthemselvesinthewarmearth.Andastheyslippedbeneaththesoil,theywerewarmed.Thegroundcoveredthem,andtheysleptandsleptandsleptforaverylongtime.

Thenoneday,Sunnyfeltalittletendrilstartingtopokeoutofherside.How very strange!Sunnythought.Something is happening to me. Shefeltherbodymove.Stretch!Stretch!Stretch!Soonalittlesproutstartedgrowingfromthelittleseed.Upandupandupitgrew.Shelookedaround.Shewasnowabovetheground. Thesoftraincame,andthesunshonewarmonthelittleplantthatSunnyhadbecome. Aftermanydayshadpassed,alittleflowerbudbegantoappear.Whenthebudopenedup,Sunnyrealizedshehadbecomeabeautifulsunflower. I buried myself in the ground when I was just a little seed,shethought,and then I grew, and I grew. And now I’ve become a sunflower! But I feel I can grow even more! I’m going to grow taller and taller, and bigger and bigger.

Author unknown. Illustrations by Didier Martin. Design by Christia CopelandPublished by My Wonder Studio. Copyright © 2011 by The Family International

Nottoofaraway,SunnysawFleur.Fleurwasasunflowertoo!AndtherewasDandy.—Hewasalsoasunflower! Thethreefriendswerealltogetheragain.Theyweresohappy!Theysmiledandlaughed. “Wedidn’tknowwhatwasgoingtohappenwhenwehadtoleaveourhappyhome,”Sunnysaidtoherfriends.“Butwefoundabrand-newplace,andwe’rebiggerandhappierthanever,andwe’restilltogether.” JustasGodtakescareofHiscreation,Hewillalsotakegoodcareofeachoneofus.