Curative Story: Apologizing

Once upon a time there was a bird called Anna bird. She lived in a tree with her mama bird, daddy bird, and big sister, Millie bird. Anna loved to play with her big sister, Millie. One of their favorite games was to twirl. Round and round and round until they were so dizzy the whole world was spinning. Because their nest was small, there wasn't enough room for two birds to twirl at the same time. So Anna bird and Millie bird had to take turns. Anna would perch on the edge of the nest while Millie twirled, then they would switch, and Millie would perch while Anna twirled. 

One day, Anna and Millie were twirling. Millie had just finished her turn when Anna jumped down from her perch. Before Millie could get out of the way, Anna spread out her wings, tweeted with delight and spun herself into a magnificent twirl. Suddenly, she heard a cry, "Ow!" Anna bird stopped twirling, and there on the floor of the nest was Millie bird, crying. "You hit me!" she cried. "I did not!" said Anna bird. She had been twirling so fast that she did not even realize she had bopped Millie, who had not had time to hop up to her perch. "You did too and it hurts! Mom! Anna hit me!" Anna bird frowned as Millie cried.  

"What is going on girls?" Mama bird asked as she came fluttering into the nest. "Anna bird hit me," Millie said, still crying. Anna bird just stood there. "Anna," said Mama bird, "did you hit Millie?" Anna did not answer. She had not meant to hit Millie, she felt sad that Millie was hurt. But she did not know what to say to her mom or her sister. Mama bird wrapped her wings around both of her little birds. "Anna, you may give Millie a hug and ask her if she is ok. That will help her to feel better." So Anna took a step closer to Millie and looked at Millie's feet, "Are you ok Millie?" she asked. Mama bird said, "Millie, you may tell your sister that you are ok." "Yes, Anna, I'm ok." "Good," said Mama bird. "Now, you birds may twirl in the grass below the tree, not in the nest. It is too small and someone will get hurt." 

Anna bird and Millie bird looked at each other and smiled. They were ready to twirl again. They hopped out of the nest and fluttered down to the soft grass. Under the tree, there was plenty of room for them to twirl at the same time. They twirled and twirled until they fell in the grass laughing. "I am sorry I hit you, Millie," Anna bird said. "That's ok," answered Millie. "I know it was an accident and I'm ok." Anna gave Millie a big hug, she was glad that Millie was ok.