Welcome to a bedtime story.
Thank your lucky stars.
Get comfy now as we get ready for this cosmic story.
Cozy up now into those soft cuddly blankets and a snuggly toy if you have one.
Take in a long deep breath now.
Then let it out.
Good.
Now just breathe normally and relax.
Now is the time for our story about lucky stars.
Star light,
Star bright,
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may,
I wish I might,
Have this wish I wish tonight.
You may have heard this short poem,
That you say when you see the first star in the early evening.
But have you ever heard the story about the stars you do not see at night?
They are the lucky stars.
And here is their story.
You would be especially lucky to find a lucky star.
Because they are hiding in the most unlikely of places.
Every thousand years or so,
Stars way up in the sky will need a rest.
They get tired after a thousand years of lighting up the evening sky.
They shine brightly,
Hoping that they will be your first star light,
Star bright,
To wish upon each night.
When a star needs a rest,
It will fall to earth.
You may have heard about these falling stars before.
When looking at the night sky,
You may suddenly see a streak of bright light blazing across the sky.
It all lasts only a second or so.
Some people will make a wish upon a falling star.
Have you ever seen a falling star?
Did you make a wish upon a falling star?
It is the last wish that star will give in the moment it begins falling to earth for a well-deserved rest.
Once it has rested,
It will safely return to the night sky.
There is a falling star's secret.
Only some ancient people had,
Many thousands of years ago.
You will learn about the secret here tonight.
Our ancient ancestors knew that the sight of a falling star was far more than a chance to make a wish,
Even though they were not born.
They knew more than a chance to make a wish,
Even though that is true.
They learned that seeing a falling star is a secret signal that this moment is an ideal time to be quiet,
Calm,
And to relax your mind.
Why?
Because it is the best time to listen to your thoughts,
Those tiny thought clouds that pop into your mind,
Then continue until another thought arises.
Even as you are quiet,
Calm,
Calm,
Relaxed.
In the moments after you see a falling star,
Your mind is ready,
And in the peace and quiet,
You may discover new ideas,
New dreams,
New wisdom.
The ancient ancestors have gained much wisdom over hundreds of years.
In that time,
They learned the most amazing secrets of the stars,
Including where the stars go.
Where the stars go after they fall to earth.
And they learned the stars fall to earth for a well-deserved rest.
Of all the billions of people who live on our planet earth,
And billions more who lived a long time ago,
Only a very small number have ever seen where the star goes to rest.
I've heard this great secret,
And now I'm going to share it with you.
The tired star will find an old log in the forest.
Like good friends,
The tired star and old tired tree log will help each other.
The log will release its energy as it slowly returns to the earth.
And as it feeds other plants nearby with this energy,
The resting star also recovers its own energy.
Finding a resting star in an old log is not easy,
But here are some tips on finding a fallen star.
You'll need to walk into the forest with an adult.
Stars do like to hide in old logs near well-worn paths in the forest.
So you won't need to leave the path at any time.
But you will need to be very alert,
Ready to spot something tiny and amazing.
If you see a fallen tree log laying down next to the path,
You will have found one of the most favorite places for fallen stars to hide while they rest.
Not all logs will have fallen stars though.
The star will only be found in the forest.
One with a deep hole in the center of the log that will look like a tunnel.
It is within this shadow of the hollow log that you might see a well-hidden star at rest.
You may not notice the star at first,
But you will notice it as you walk along the path.
Just like you,
Stars like to be snuggled in a cozy blanket while they sleep.
And they wrap a leaf around them as their blanket.
So if you are very lucky,
You might find a resting fallen star wrapped in a red and orange maple leaf during the fall season,
Or another kind of leaf at any other time of the year.
The lucky star will be sleeping.
So if you do find a fallen star in a hollow log,
Be sure to stay quiet.
So it continues to rest deeply.
The ancient ancestors learned a special secret about sleeping lucky stars.
Their rest will be so much better if people can be calm,
Peaceful,
Peaceful,
And in their minds be thankful for the stars resting in our forests.
And to include thanks and being grateful for other things too,
While thinking about the star.
Can you think of things to be grateful for today?
Did you have fun with friends or family?
Did you have some delicious food?
Was the weather comfortable today?
Of course,
We must also be grateful for the sleeping lucky stars,
For this gratitude to work,
As you think about those things in your mind.
The ancient ancestors learned that being grateful for things makes those things more likely to happen again.
And with the resting stars on earth,
If you thank your lucky stars,
You will be helping it gain more energy.
Getting more rest.
Your gratitude will make each lucky star shine more brightly.
Once it has fully rested,
It will magically return to the skies.
On the next beautiful sunny day,
It will follow the sun's rays all the way up into the sky.
Once again,
The lucky star will shine brightly in the night sky.
You can do this by being grateful,
Even if you never find one hiding wrapped in a leaf in a hollow log.
You know that your gratitude is helpful to the lucky stars,
To everyone around you,
And even to yourself.
By thanking your lucky stars,
You too will shine more brightly with happiness.
Now that our gratitude has returned some lucky stars to the sky,
We can also rest and recharge.
Let's get comfy,
So we can be ready for a good,
Restful sleep.
Lay down in your bed,
On your back,
If that makes you comfortable.
Think about making your body calm,
Relaxed.
Gently close your eyes.
You are safe here.
Now,
Notice your breathing.
Thinking about your breathing helps you relax.
Let's take three long,
Deep breaths.
A deep breath in,
And then a slow,
Long breath out.
Again,
Deep breath in,
And then a slow,
Long breath out.
Very good.
One more time.
Deep breath in,
And then a slow,
Long breath out.
And then a slow,
Long breath out.
Eyes closed,
Calmly breathing.
You are ready for a deep,
Restful sleep.
You are grateful,
Thankful,
Happy,
For all the wonderful things,
Including the lucky stars.
Your body is feeling heavier,
Heavier,
Heavier.
Gently supported by the bed under you.
You feel relaxed.
You're comfy,
Cozy,
Safe.
It is time now for pleasant and sweet dreams.
Sleep well,
My friend.
