Max and the magic soccer ball.
Hello there little dreamer.
Welcome to a peaceful night where anything is possible.
A night where dreams take flight and magical stories gently unfold beneath the stars.
Let your eyes grow heavy and your body becomes still.
Take a big deep breath in and slowly let it out.
Let's take one more deep breath in and out.
That's it.
Let your arms rest beside you and let your imagination begin to stretch its wings.
Tonight I'm going to tell you a story.
A story about a boy named Max.
Max was just like you in many ways.
He was kind,
Curious,
Full of imagination and Max loved one thing more than almost anything else in the world.
Soccer.
Max had posters of soccer stars on his wall.
He had a soccer ball that had a few scuff marks from all the times he practiced in the backyard.
He even had a favorite pair of socks that he wore every time he played.
They were a little worn out and had tiny holes in the toes but to Max they were lucky.
Now Max wasn't the best player on his team.
He wasn't the fastest runner or the strongest kicker.
Sometimes he missed the ball completely and other times he got nervous when the game got exciting but he always showed up and he always tried his very best and that made Max's coach smile.
One warm Saturday afternoon something incredible happened.
It was the day of the town's big soccer tournament.
All the teams would play in the park under the tall trees with cheering families and lemonade stands and music in the air.
Max and his teammates arrived early.
They laughed and stretched and kicked the ball around while they waited for the game to begin.
As Max sat under a shady tree to tie his shoelaces something in the grass nearby caught his eye.
It was round and shiny half hidden under a bush.
He crawled over to take a look and there it was a soccer ball like no other he had ever seen.
It shimmered slightly as though it were made of silver and stardust.
Its surface sparkled gently in the sunlight and when Max touched it he felt a strange little tingle in his fingertips.
There were words written on the side of the ball in swirly gold letters.
They said this ball is magic but the real magic is inside of you.
Max blinked.
Was it really magic or was this someone's joke?
He looked around but no one was watching so he gently tucked the shiny ball under his arm and brought it to the edge of the field.
When the game began Max asked his coach if he could warm up with the new ball.
The coach smiled and nodded so Max gave it a kick and oh what a kick it was.
The ball flew so smoothly through the air almost as if it knew where to go.
Max ran after it zigzagging between cones and for the first time ever he didn't feel nervous.
He felt powerful,
Balanced,
Calm.
The game began.
Max was placed in midfield right in the heart of the action and as soon as the referee blew the whistle something amazing happened.
Max ran with grace.
He passed with precision.
He dribbled like he'd been doing it for years and then he scored a real goal right past the goalie and into the net.
His teammates ran over cheering and laughing.
Even the coach looked surprised.
Where did that come from Max one of the boys asked.
Max just smiled and tapped the shiny ball.
It's a magic soccer ball he whispered.
All afternoon Max played like never before.
Every move felt smooth and natural.
It was as if the ball and his feet were old friends.
His confidence grew with every pass,
Every kick and every cheer from the crowd and when the final whistle blew Max's team had won but more than that Max had changed.
That night after dinner and a warm bath Max placed the shiny ball on his windowsill.
It shimmered in the moonlight.
He smiled at it,
Whispered thank you and climbed into bed.
Over the next few weeks Max kept playing soccer and you know what he got better and better.
Even when he used his old ball with the scuff marks and faded paint he still played wonderfully.
One afternoon Max decided to show the magic ball to his coach but when he pulled it from the shelf it looked different.
It wasn't shimmering anymore.
It just looked like a normal ball.
No silver sparkles,
No golden letters.
Max tilted his head confused.
He ran to his mum.
Mum do you remember that shiny soccer ball I found?
The one that was magic?
His mum chuckled gently and tousled his hair.
Sweetheart that ball's been in our garage for years.
You found it when you were little remember?
It used to be your favorite.
Max's eyes widened.
He thought about all the games,
All the passes,
All the moments he thought were powered by magic.
But maybe,
Just maybe the real magic hadn't been in the ball at all.
Maybe it was in him.
In the way he believed in himself.
In the way he stopped being afraid of messing up.
In the way he decided to try,
Really try and trust that he could do something great.
That night Max sat on his bed holding the ball in his lap.
It wasn't silver.
It didn't sparkle.
But it was full of memories,
Of trying,
Of growing,
Of believing.
He whispered to the ball,
I guess the magic was me all along.
And from that day on Max never stopped playing.
He practiced.
He learned.
He stumbled sometimes,
But he always got back up.
Because now he knew confidence is the greatest kind of magic there is.
So now dear dreamer,
As you lie still and quiet in your bed,
Can you feel the gentle spark of confidence growing inside you too?
Just like Max,
You have a heart full of courage.
You have dreams worth chasing.
You have something magical inside you always.
Take a soft slow breath in and out.
Let your mind drift gently like a soccer ball rolling across a quiet field under the stars with the sound of wind in the trees and the soft cheer of your own heart reminding you just how special you are.
The story may be ending but your dreams are just beginning.
Sleep well little one and remember the real magic is already inside you.
Good night.
