Once upon a time, in a small village nestled between snow-capped mountains, the harsh winter had set in. The villagers, used to the cold, prepared themselves for the long winter months ahead. They stocked up on firewood, preserved food, and wrapped themselves in thick blankets to keep warm.

But there was one person in the village who didn't seem to mind the cold. Her name was Blue... blue for the sky, and she loved winter. She would wake up early in the morning, put on her fur coat, and head out into the snow-covered streets. Blue would walk around the village, admiring the icicles hanging from the roofs of houses and the snowflakes falling gently from the sky.

One day, Bluy noticed a small bird perched on a tree branch, shivering in the cold. She felt sorry for the little bird and decided to help it. Blue took some bread crumbs from her pocket and placed them on the ground. The bird hopped down from the tree and ate the crumbs gratefully. From that day on, Maria would leave bread crumbs for the bird every morning, and the little bird would come to her every day.

As the winter progressed, Blue noticed that the bird had grown stronger and no longer shivered in the cold. She realized that the bird had adapted to the cold just like the villagers had. She felt grateful for the lessons she learned from the little bird about resilience and adaptation.

Even though the cold of winter was harsh, it brought Blue and the little bird closer together, and she learned to appreciate the beauty of the winter landscape. From that day on, Blue looked forward to winter, not only for its beauty but also for the lessons it taught her about life.
© Ashton Maphanga