Bedtime Story - Picnic Mountain And The Leaning Bench

The stillness at the summit of Picnic Mountain delivers an awakening as Deco and Elika rest silently on the leaning bench. Was it magic or only a change in the weather?
Credit: Music is "Mountain Hike" by Alex Wit Light_Music via Pixabay

Transcript

Welcome to A Bedtime Story,

Picnic Mountain and the Leaning Bench.

Have you ever gone on a long hike through the forest?

And all the way to the top of a mountain?

We will use our imaginations to do just that here tonight.

Before we get to this story,

Let us get comfy.

Snuggling in to your cuddly blankets,

Hugging your stuffed toy if you have one.

Feel yourself sinking into the bed under you as you settle in for this story before a deep,

Restful sleep.

Now just relax.

Noticing your breathing.

As you breathe in,

Can you feel how your belly rises slightly?

And as you breathe out,

Exhale a longer breath,

Letting go of all the old air and anything from the day you no longer need.

There is nothing to do now.

Not thinking about the day.

Not worrying about tomorrow.

Just listening to my voice.

Now it is time for the story about an amazing place called Picnic Mountain and the secrets of the Leaning Bench that rests at the top of the mountain.

It was first discovered a long,

Long time ago that being at the top of a mountain could be enlightening.

Being at the summit might help solve great mysteries,

Bringing about new understanding.

Ellica had heard about this,

So she and her cousin Deco decided one autumn day to explore Picnic Mountain.

It was to be an adventure they would remember.

Before they headed out to Picnic Mountain,

They first told their parents about their plans.

And of course,

They each packed a small picnic lunch with a sandwich,

A bottle of water,

And an apple.

Deco and Ellica had lots of practice walking on long hikes with their grandfather.

So,

The ambitious walk from the base of the mountain to the top seemed easy enough to them.

They knew that enjoying the journey was just as important as the destination.

They noticed the leaves of the trees at the base of the mountain were already beginning to change color,

As they do in the fall in this part of the world.

Maple trees display some of the most beautiful orange and reds ever seen on plants,

Though the reds of big oak trees and the blazing yellow leaves of the beech tree also beautifully paint the forest path of Picnic Mountain.

Ellica and Deco would walk slowly,

Taking time to notice many of the different kinds of plants along the way.

There were tall trees and tiny shrubs.

There were ferns,

Mosses,

And fungus.

All different shapes and sizes.

They also kept a lookout for poison ivy or stinging nettle,

Which can cause a very uncomfortable itch and rash.

They also noticed a few creatures along the way,

Like the robin on a birch tree branch,

The usual bugs like beetles and those mosquitoes,

And colorful fluttering butterflies.

A young cottontail bunny hopped along nearby with mostly brown fur with tufts of white as it readies for the coming winter months.

As the bunny vanished into the bush,

A red squirrel called out as if it was wanting them to notice him too.

Then about halfway up the mountain,

A raccoon sauntered slowly across their path.

It was as surprised to see humans as Ellica and Deco were surprised to see it.

Staring at the two with its dark,

Round eyes surrounded in its dark,

Furry mask,

The raccoon seemed harmless from a distance.

Ellica knew to stay still when seeing such animals,

Rather than scaring it away or making it feel threatened.

Raccoons are also known as wash bears in some parts of the world,

Because of the way they appear to wash their food in water before eating.

The raccoons or wash bears may not actually be washing their food.

Their tiny paws sense the food more when their hands are wet,

So by holding their food in water,

They may be more alert to the texture and quality of the food they're eating.

Deco thought about that for a moment,

And imagines that they will try to be more aware when they have a picnic at the top of Picnic Mountain.

Climbing the last stretch to the top of the mountain was more challenging,

As the hillside was increasingly steep.

Reaching a goal is often a challenge,

Yet worth the effort.

Ellica and Deco stayed determined along the steep path,

Pausing at times to rest,

And to notice that the air was getting hazy like a fog.

Or perhaps they were getting closer to the clouds.

Could they even be in a cloud?

Ellica could see what appeared to be old wooden log steps built into the mountainside,

A clear sign that they were nearing the summit or top of the mountain.

And a few moments later,

There it was,

The leaning bench!

They had hiked and climbed all the way to the top of Picnic Mountain.

They took in a deep breath of the fresh mountain air which smelled like the nearby pine trees at the top of Picnic Mountain.

They sat on the leaning bench,

Sitting still,

Even though the bench leaned forward ever slightly,

But not enough for them to fall off.

At first,

The two just sat there,

In silence.

It was so foggy,

Surrounded by the mountain cloud,

They could barely see anything downhill.

But they could hear the distant sound of a barred owl.

Many say owls are wise,

And hearing it at the summit of Picnic Mountain seemed like the perfect place for wisdom.

Deco remembered the raccoon and his thoughts about mindful eating.

It was time for their picnic.

As they started eating their lunches,

Ellica felt there was something magical about eating food in the open air.

Every bite seemed better than the last.

As they both chewed their food slowly,

They savored the rich flavors in every small bite.

Ellica and Deco were both being very mindful and very aware.

They remembered how their grandfather talked about mindfulness,

Awareness,

And about meditation.

So as they finished their picnic,

They sat still and silent on the leaning bench,

Listening to the sound of the wind rustling the leaves.

They were completely relaxed,

Sitting there.

They softly closed their eyes,

Sensing the dense fog around them.

For a few minutes,

They had nothing else to do,

Nothing else to think about,

Except the present moment.

They were fully aware,

Not distracted about the past or thinking about the future.

On the leaning bench,

They were leaning into the present moment.

And then the cool dampness of the fog they were feeling was being swept aside in the breeze and replaced with the welcoming warmth of sunshine.

Deco and Ellica opened their eyes and saw that the cloud at the summit of Picnic Mountain was suddenly lifting.

The beautiful,

Clear blue sky was now everywhere around them.

At Picnic Mountain,

This was a feast for the eyes.

They wondered,

Could this be what is meant by enlightenment?

Now they could see the rest of the mountain area more clearly than ever before.

Appreciating with more awareness every plant and animal they saw as they made their way back down the mountain toward home.

Did the stillness at Leaning Bench awaken some superpower in them?

Maybe it was only a change in the weather.

Or perhaps it was magic as they sat in stillness on the Leaning Bench and the skies cleared as their minds began to see more clearly.

They couldn't wait until bedtime when Deco and Ellica would tell their families about the transformation they felt atop Picnic Mountain that day.

Let's also engage in the present moment now as we too get ready for a deep,

Restful sleep.

Let's get comfy,

Cozy,

Safe.

Gently close your eyes.

Nothing to do or to think about now.

Your body is feeling calm,

Ready to rest.

Notice your breathing.

Every breath is bringing in fresh,

Healthy energy.

With every breath out,

Letting out what you no longer need.

Like Ellica and Deco,

You will be ready to eat mindfully and have more awareness tomorrow.

For now,

You are ready for a deep,

Restful sleep.

It is time now for pleasant and sweet dreams.

Sleep well,

My friend.