Teaching kids -- Inspiring teachers
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Teaching kids -- Inspiring teachers |
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Marissa’s Hippo By Amy D. Meyers Outside the pink curtains in Marissa’s ballerina bedroom, rain pounded the window. Thunder clapped and lightning flashed more ferociously than ever. Marissa Jenkins was pinned to her sheets, she felt surrounded by the boom of the storm. Marissa hated storms more than anything. The only thing keeping her from screaming out loud was the purple hippo she clutched. The hippo was given to Marissa a long time ago. And now, even though she was seven years old, she stilled clung to her hippo for comfort. Each night she curled up with her hippo in the crook of her arm. But tonight her hippo was more than a cuddly pal, it was a comfort. As Marissa sat staring at the window on the other side of her room, she squeezed her hippo even harder. Just when Marissa began to sink into the loving comfort of her purple friend, a tree branch cracked and hit the side of her house. Marissa shot out of her bed and ran down the hall as fast as she could, her brown curls bouncing wildly. If her hippo couldn’t save her from the storm, she knew only one other person who could: her daddy. As Marissa pushed open the door to her parents’ bedroom, a thunder clap froze her. Once the rumbling died away, Marissa rushed to her Daddy’s side of the bed. She shook her Daddy until he woke up and pulled her into bed with them. In between her parents, Marissa felt a little better, but she was still very scared. Marissa’s Daddy began to tell a story. “Once upon a time a little girl received a very special hippo as a gift. But this hippo,” he said “was no ordinary hippo. This hippo was an angel.” Even though Marissa had heard this story many times, she said, “Really, Daddy?” like she did every time. “Yes,” her Daddy said. “This hippo was a purple angel sent from heaven to watch over the little girl.” Listening closely to her Daddy’s story, Marissa began to forget all about the storm until a very loud thunder boom reminded her. Squeezing her hippo with one hand and her daddy’s arm with the other, Marissa asked, “What happens next, Daddy?” “Well, one day there was a big, noisy storm where the little girl lived. The little girl was very scared.” Marissa’s Daddy made his voice sound funny when he said “very scared.” “Why was she very scared?” Marissa asked, tightening her grip on her hippo. “Well, she was scared of the storm and she didn’t believe her hippo would protect her.” “Why not?” Marissa asked with wide eyes. “Everyone in the whole village knew the hippo would protect the little girl, but the little girl didn’t believe them. All she ever said was ‘he is just a hippo, he is not special.’” The thunder continued to rumble, but Marissa didn’t notice anymore. “She better listen, Daddy,” Marissa said. “Well,” her Daddy began again. “After a lot of convincing from her parents, the little girl went up to her room, grabbed her hippo and ran back downstairs. Then, with the hippo in her lap, the little girl and her family began telling stories and playing games and she soon forgot all about the storm. The End.” Marissa’s Dad finished with a squeeze on Marissa’s arm. Marissa sat quiet for a moment. Then she said, “Was that story about me? Do you think my hippo is an angel?” “Well, I don’t know about that, but what I do know is that we all have angels protecting us,” her Daddy said. “And I think you should use your hippo to remind you that you have an angel protecting you. And just like your hippo is here for you right now, your angel is with you always. Close and comforting.” “And you’re here, too, Daddy.” “Yes, I am.” Marissa’s Daddy held her close and told her another story of another Father who loves His children even more than Marissa Daddy loves her.
The End.
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