“The sun is very bright,” said Beaver. He could feel the heat of the sun on the top of his head and thought: The sun is always too hot. When I am hot I feel tired. And when I am tired I feel grumpy. The sun is always too hot.
While Beaver thought his thoughts, Little Lamb was thinking also: How wonderfully warm and nice is the sun. Look how bright and beautiful it makes the forest. Thank you, Father, for letting me see the beauty of the sun.
Little Lamb and Beaver continued down the path in the forest. Soon they became hungry and began to look for something to eat. Beaver thought: Every time I am hungry I must look for food to eat. I must dig in the dirt for roots. I must always work. And when I work I feel tired. And when I am tired I feel grumpy.
Little Lamb also thought: Look at all this nice green grass to eat. Look at all the roots in the ground for my friend to eat. How wonderful is God Who gives us all we need. Thank you, Father.
After the friends had eaten, they grew tired and decided to rest. As Beaver lay on the ground he thought: Listen to all those insects buzzing. Listen to all those birds chirping. What an awful noise. How will I be able to rest if I must listen to this racket?
Little Lamb also lay down to rest and he thought: Listen to my brothers, the insects, buzzing. Listen to my brothers, the birds, chirping. How beautiful are the songs of life. Thank you, Father, for sending me such a wonderful lullaby.
Later in the day Little Lamb and Beaver met another beaver by a stream. “Please help,” asked the other beaver. “This log is too big for me to lift by myself and I must put it in the stream to help build my house.”
As Little Lamb and Beaver helped their brother lift the log Beaver thought: Look at all this work I must do now. The log is getting my fur dirty and the water of the stream is making me wet and cold. And when I am dirty and wet and cold I get grumpy.
Little Lamb was also thinking as he helped his brother: How cool the water is as it washes the dirt off my wool. How nice it is to help my brother. Thank you, Father, for giving me this chance to help a friend, and for giving me the gift of my friend’s thankful smile.
Later that evening Beaver heard Little Lamb saying, Thank you, Father, for a most beautiful and happy day.” “How can you say this day was beautiful and happy?” exclaimed Beaver. “The sun was too hot. It was hard to find food to eat. The noise of the birds and insects kept me awake, and I got dirty and wet and cold lifting that log.”
“But don’t you see that is how you decided to see the day,” said Little Lamb. “Now listen to how I saw the day: The sun was warm and beautiful. The grass was sweet and plentiful. The birds and insects sang me a lullaby and our brother gave us the gift of his loving smile. And for all this I am very thankful.”
Beaver’s eyes began to light up. “You know Little Lamb, it wasn’t what I did today, but how I decided to look at it. I chose to see only unhappiness in all that we did, and I was grumpy and unhappy. You chose to see only happiness in all that we did, and you were happy.”
“Now you see,” said Little Lamb smiling. “You decided whether to be happy or not. God our Father gives us only love and goodness. It is up to us to decided if we want to see that love and goodness.
And as Beaver looked around him he saw the shining stars and felt the warm night breeze as soft as a blanket on his fur and said, “Thank you Father, for this beautiful night.”
And Beaver and Little lamb smiled.
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