The Day the Whole Meadow Smiled

When Rosie the rabbit opened her eyes that morning, something felt wonderful. The sun was warm on her whiskers, the air smelled like clover, and her heart was so full of happiness it seemed to fizz like a bubble.

"What a smiley sort of day!" Rosie said, hopping out of her burrow. "I have so much happy inside me. I should share some!"

She picked her favorite yellow flower — the brightest one in the whole meadow — and tucked it behind her ear. Then off she hopped, looking for someone who might need a little happiness.

Under a blackberry bush, she found Milo the hedgehog. He was yawning great big yawns, and his sleepy eyes kept drooping shut.

"Good morning, Milo!" Rosie said softly.

"Is it morning already?" Milo mumbled. "I feel too sleepy to smile today."

Rosie thought for a moment. Then she gathered the softest, fluffiest dandelion puffs she could find and made him a tiny pillow, right there in the shade.

Milo curled up on it and sighed a happy sigh. "Ooh, that tickles my nose," he giggled. "A fluffy pillow! Thank you, Rosie." And even though his eyes were closing, the corners of his mouth curled up into a small, cozy smile.

Rosie's ears wiggled with joy. One smile already! She hopped on through the tall grass.

Down by the pond, Rosie heard a small, worried peep. It was Pip the duckling, pacing back and forth at the water's edge, the little feather on his head trembling.

"Oh dear, oh dear," Pip peeped. "Today I'm supposed to swim all the way across the pond by myself. But it looks so very big."

"It does look big," Rosie agreed kindly. "But do you know what? I'll walk along the edge beside you, every single paddle of the way."

Pip took a deep breath. He stepped into the water. Paddle, paddle, paddle — and there was Rosie, hopping along the bank, cheering, "You're doing it, Pip! You're really doing it!"

When Pip reached the other side, he flapped his little wings and grinned the biggest duckling grin. "I did it! Thank you, Rosie!"

Two smiles now, thought Rosie, warm as sunshine.

Near the old oak tree, she found Grandpa Moss the tortoise, turning slowly in circles. "Dear me," he sighed. "I've misplaced my spectacles again. Everything looks like fuzzy green blobs."

Rosie searched high and low, under leaves and behind stones — until she spotted something silver, sparkling in a patch of moss.

"Found them!" she cheered, gently setting the glasses on his nose.

"Ah!" said Grandpa Moss, blinking. "There's the world again. And there's a very kind rabbit." He smiled a slow, warm, wrinkly smile.

By afternoon, something quietly wonderful was happening in the meadow.

Milo, all rested from his nap, gathered sweet blackberries and shared them with Pip. Pip, feeling brave and proud, carried a cool leaf of pond water to Grandpa Moss, who was thirsty in the sun. And Grandpa Moss, who could see everything clearly now, read a gentle story out loud under the oak tree, while little animals from all over the meadow gathered round to listen.

Rosie sat in the tall grass and watched, her heart fizzing all over again. Everywhere she looked, someone was smiling. She hadn't asked anyone to be kind. The kindness had simply hopped from friend to friend, just like she hopped from flower to flower.

"Well," Rosie whispered to her yellow flower, "I think the whole meadow is smiling today."

When the sky turned pink and the first star peeked out, Rosie hopped home to her burrow. Her mother wrapped her up in her soft blue shawl and kissed the top of her head.

"Did you have a good day, little one?" Mother asked.

"The best day," Rosie yawned. "I gave away smiles all day long... and somehow I still have so many left."

"That's the funny thing about kindness," Mother said softly. "The more you give, the more you have."

Rosie closed her eyes, still smiling, and dreamed of yellow flowers and happy friends. Goodnight, Rosie. Goodnight, meadow.