This is a story about a kid just like you who is learning new things all the time.
Find a cozy spot where you can listen as I tell you about a boy named Kojo from the country Ghana.
He gets lost in a busy city market and doesn't know what to do.
Are you comfortable?
Great!
Let's begin!
Kojo is nine years old.
He lives in Accra,
The capital city of Ghana,
With his brother Afi and his mother and father.
Accra is a busy place with lots of street markets.
The biggest market in Accra is Makola Market,
A lively space where women sell all sorts of things,
From handmade Adinkra jewelry to freshly grilled tilapia fish.
The smell of fried plantain chips floats through the air as thousands of people crowd the market streets,
Looking for a good deal on clothes to buy or a tasty snack to eat.
Kojo's mom sells shoes at the market every week.
Kojo and his brother Afi are responsible to help their mom organize the shoeboxes and keep track of the money or CD their mom makes.
One day,
Kojo left his mother's shoe shop to use the bathroom.
Along the way,
He ran into his friend from school,
Emmanuel.
The two friends shared some condensed milk candy as they chatted about last night's football game,
Until Emmanuel's mother called him back to help with her family fruit stand.
Kojo then began looking for the bathroom again,
But he couldn't find it.
He looked everywhere,
But nothing was familiar.
He was so busy talking with Emmanuel that he had wandered far past the bathroom,
And even farther from his mother and brother.
Kojo walked a few meters left.
No,
That's not it,
He said to himself,
Before turning around to head right.
Not that way either.
He was puzzled.
Kojo climbed up on a wooden stool to get a better view.
A sea of brightly colored umbrellas covered the market streets as far as he could see,
And not one of them was his mom's.
Kojo was lost and afraid.
His father had warned him many times about not getting lost at the market.
What if I never find my brother,
Afi?
What if they leave for home without me?
What will I do once it gets dark?
Kojo panicked.
Beads of sweat dripped down his face.
His heart pumped faster.
Kojo felt tears coming to his eyes when all of the sudden he remembered something his Nana or grandmother had taught him.
When you feel afraid and begin to panic,
Nana said,
Be still for a moment.
Close your eyes and take a long,
Deep breath.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Let your shoulders fall.
Relax your face.
Suddenly tell yourself,
I'm going to be okay.
Everything is going to be all right.
Breathe in again slowly and out.
I'm going to be okay.
Everything is going to be all right.
When there's a storm in your mind,
Nana taught Kojo you must pause to let it pass.
Do not try to force the clouds away.
If you push them,
They will only push back stronger.
Just watch them go by.
They will not hurt you.
You are safe.
Let the wind take them where it may.
And after they finally left,
You will be on your way.
Kojo followed Nana's advice.
He stood still.
Then close his eyes.
He breathed deeply.
The noise of the Makola Market gradually grew quieter and quieter,
Like someone was turning down the volume on a car radio.
His body relaxed.
The storm in his mind changed.
The rain stopped.
The heavy dark clouds grew lighter and lighter until they had disappeared completely.
Kojo's heartbeat slowed,
And his head cleared.
After a minute,
The storm he was feeling had passed.
Kojo opened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
Now he could think again.
He began retracing his steps.
Let's see,
He said to himself,
I know I walked past some jollof rice.
There it is!
And before that,
I saw a little old lady who sells hibiscus tea.
There she is!
Walking slowly,
Kojo then recognized his friend Emmanuel's fruit stand.
He was relieved.
From there,
He had no trouble remembering where he was.
In the distance,
Past the rows and rows of people,
Kojo saw his mother's shoe shop.
I made it!
He exclaimed as he ran to greet his family.
What took you so long?
Asked his brother Afi.
I got caught in a storm,
Replied Kojo.
Storm?
What storm?
Asked Afi.
I'll tell you about it when we get home,
Said Kojo.
The next time you feel afraid and start to panic,
You can do what Kojo did.
Do you remember what has Nana taught him?
First be still.
Tell yourself that you are going to be okay.
That everything will be alright.
Then take a deep breath in.
Then out.
In again.
And out.
Relax your shoulders.
Relax your face.
You can even sit down if you'd like.
Pause to let the storm in your mind pass.
Let the rain fall and the wind blow.
Know that you are safe as you watch the storm from a distance.
All you have to do is be still.
Take deep breaths and wait.
Once the storm has passed,
The sky will turn blue again.
Your mind will be clear.
From there,
Just like Kojo,
You'll know exactly what to do.
See you next time around the world!
