Are you ready to meditate with Kari?
Lie down on your bed and get super comfortable.
Pull the covers up all the way to your chin so you're all warm and snuggly.
Try and lay still and quiet while you listen to the story and relax your body and get ready to go to sleep.
Finn was playing in the forest with a bunch of friends.
It had been snowing and everything was white.
The forest floor was white,
The trees were white,
The bushes were white,
The clouds and the sky was white.
Everything was white and fresh and clean and crisp.
And everywhere they ran they left footprints in the snow on the forest floor.
And it was like magic.
All you could hear in the snowy forest was laughter and giggles and people calling each other's names.
They threw snowballs at one another.
They were having a lot of fun.
But when you play in the snow for too long you get cold.
Your fingers go icy cold and you start to not be able to feel your toes.
And everything's cold.
Your nose feels like it's going to fall off your face.
And everything is like ooooh.
Finn and the boys decided it was time to call it a day.
To go home and maybe have a nice warm glass of hot chocolate and sit by the fire and get snuggly pajamas on.
One by one Finn's friends left in different directions as they walked through the forest.
The point where he found himself walking home for a short time on his own.
The forest was really really clear and bright so he didn't feel afraid but Finn really didn't like being on his own.
Everything was too quiet.
He much preferred to be with people and family and friends.
He wasn't really into being alone very much.
The way that he was walking no one had been that day.
He was listening to his feet crunching on the snow.
When he looked behind him he could see his footprints.
The snow was like a carpet.
No one else had been there and every time he took a step forward he heard a crunch and then a new footstep appeared.
Crunch and another footstep appeared.
Finn couldn't help finding himself just watching his footprints listening to the snow crunching underneath his feet.
He was doing this for quite some time and then when he looked back he saw his footprints but he also started to see other footprints.
Tiny little footprints that barely look like footprints like little bird feet or tiny tiny little animal feet.
Really tiny animals.
Tiny than a squirrel or maybe a mouse the size of a mouse.
He wasn't sure but it was definitely not a squirrel.
It wasn't a big bird.
If it was a bird they were just tiny tiny but then they didn't even look like the shape of bird's feet or mice feet.
They were like little human feet but the size of his thumbnail following him as if they were walking by his side.
He looked to his left and looked to his right and he didn't see anything.
That's so bizarre he thought.
What's going on?
He kept walking forward crunch crunch crunch and then he kept looking and there were the tiny tiny tiny little footprints but there was no person nothing he could see making footprints.
It was completely blank to the left and to the right he didn't see anything.
He wondered for a second if it was some kind of magic.
Maybe because Christmas was coming up it was some naughty elf trying to play a trick on him or something but then if it was an elf wouldn't he see it?
Then he started to hear giggling.
The tiniest faintest giggles like a barely there giggle but he heard it because the forest was so empty.
He could hear everything in the forest.
He could hear a giggle and he could see tiny little footprints but he couldn't see anything else and then he decided to do this funny thing with his eyes where he squinted so his eyes were almost closed and it changed his vision and he looked behind him and he saw it.
He saw it as plain as day as if you had to have this magical vision with squinty eyes to be able to see it.
It was an elf.
A cute cheeky naughty little elf that was trying to play a trick on him and he could actually see it.
Now he was squinting with his eyes really really really closed almost closed as if you were looking at him you'd think his eyes were closed but they weren't.
They were open.
The elf the naughty little elf thought that he had his eyes closed.
She was magically appearing as if he's got his eyes closed.
He won't see me.
But he saw her.
He could tell it was a girl elf because she was wearing the cutest little red skirt and a red hat with a bell on it and her cheeks were bright red.
Giggle giggle giggle giggle giggle giggle giggle giggle.
She thought it was hilarious.
He decided to play along as if he couldn't see her.
He said out loud where are these footprints coming from?
This is crazy.
I can't see anything.
I look to my left.
I look to my right.
Nothing.
Yet something's making footprints.
Finn had a big cheesy smile on his face.
He almost giggled himself.
He squinted his eyes really really really tight again as if his eyes were closed and there she was once again.
This time she was bending over laughing as if she thought it was the funniest thing that he couldn't see her.
I just don't know what it is,
Who it is or where they are but whoever it is Merry Christmas said Finn.
He squinted his eyes once again.
The little elf in this faintest little voice said Merry Christmas and then all of a sudden she just flew away and disappeared.
That was the cutest experience he thought.
Naughty little elves.
Wait till I tell everybody they do exist.
Finn carried on walking in the forest.
This time he saw footprints in front of him.
Footprints that looked like a big animal.
These were big footprints like a big wolf or a big bear or a big elephant.
No they wouldn't be an elephant he thought.
No elephants in this forest.
A big deer.
It could ooooh.
He carried on watching the footprints and he decided to follow them for a while.
I wonder what it is he thought and then he saw something move really fast through the trees in front.
For a moment he was a little bit scared.
What if it's a bear or a wolf or something that wants to bite me and eat me he thought.
But then he had this feeling in his tummy like he was safe and everything was going to be okay.
Like some kind of magic was in this forest.
It was a very special forest he thought.
I'm sure I'm safe.
Finn was a little bit clumsy and as he was following the footprints he slipped once or twice.
At one point he fell over a branch but he kept going.
Didn't really matter that he was clumsy.
He could still track down the footprints.
He was moving faster and faster.
Again he saw something from the corner of his eye move really quickly.
It looked like something big and white.
It looked like whatever it was was dodging in and out of trees hiding behind them as if it was playing some kind of hide-and-seek with Finn.
Finn thought to himself maybe I should play hide-and-seek.
Maybe that's what this animal wants.
He stopped and stood very still behind a tree.
He could hear footprints moving closer towards him and because it was cold he could see whatever it was.
Its breath like a big cloud of white smoke.
Moving forward in the wind getting closer and closer.
Finn jumped out from behind the tree and said BOO!
There in front of him was the most glorious sparkly fluffy white bear.
It had big soft eyes and it was smiling and he could see all its teeth but it was a nice bear not a scary bear.
It was like a.
.
.
It's like this bear could be my Patronus he thought.
This bear could be like my spirit animal.
Like my special special friend that no one else knows about.
He felt really close to the bear and safe like the bear was his friend as soon as they saw each other.
The bear in a funny kind of way said BOO!
And Finn started laughing.
They chased each other for some time hiding behind different trees and then Finn got tired and the bear got tired.
They slid down the same tree together,
Sat on their bums and went Oh I'm a bit sleepy.
The bear looked at Finn and said you know now that we've met you should know that I can be with you whenever you need me.
I can be there to keep you company.
I can be there to keep you safe.
I can be there whenever you're alone and you don't want to be alone.
Do you know what you have to do and I'll be there?
Finn said what?
He said you have to roar like a big bear like this.
The white sparkly bear opened its mouth really wide and roared.
A big cloud of white steam came out of his mouth.
Finn did exactly the same.
He opened his mouth really wide and roared.
The bear said that's it that's all you have to do and if you don't see me I'll still be there.
I'll be with you in spirit like an invisible bear.
I'll keep you company and I'll keep you safe.
Finn said well that's very nice of you thank you.
I'd really appreciate that.
They sat there for some time and then Finn remembered how cold he was.
He could hear the calling of his warm pajamas and hot chocolate waiting for him when he got home.
The bear walked with him out of the forest and then when he got onto the street just magically disappeared but when Finn looked down he could still see bear prints in the snow walking next to him as if the bear was right there with him even if it was invisible even if no one else could see him.
He would be with Finn whenever he roared and needed him.
Finn got home.
He had a nice warm shower,
Had his dinner.
His mom made him a hot chocolate and they sat by the fire and listened to Christmas music for a while and then it was time for bed.
When he got into bed he had a hot water bottle so his feet would be nice and warm and his bed was all cozy and snuggly.
He decided to try to see if his special bear would turn up if he roared.
He roared a big loud roar as he laid down in bed.
He didn't see his bear but he could feel him there like magic as if his bear was a big white fluffy blanket wrapped around him keeping him safe and protected at all times.
He got snuggly,
Moved down deeper into his bed,
Laid on his side and brought his knees up to his chest.
Closed his eyes and he could feel the snuggly white fluffy sparkly blanket his bear all around him and then he thought he heard that naughty elf giggling again but it was a nice sound.
It was a sound that sounded like tinkle bells,
Something very sweet.
He relaxed his head into his pillow.
He could feel all the tension just melting away out of his body.
His toes were all warm and snuggly on his water bottle.
His tummy was full and his white imaginary fluffy bear blanket was wrapped all around him.
He felt safe and loved and protected.
He couldn't help but fall asleep.
It didn't take him very long at all.
That night,
Finn had the best of his dreams as he slept and slept and slept.
