Read by Matilda Longbottom

AAria is a special fairy. She hears the song of the land. Now you may ask, does nature have a sound? Oh yes, it most certainly does. Nature, as it turns out, has its own symphony—the twinkle of stars, the lazy whisper of a breeze, the gentle rustling of grass blades, and the soothing babble of water ebbing and flowing. Aria not only hears these sounds; she feels them resonate within her soul.

For Aria, it’s crucial to dedicate part of each day to checking on nature, often overlooked in our everyday lives. While we may focus on blooming flowers or growing cucumbers, Aria specializes in observing how all aspects of nature work together.

Today is a typical day for Aria. After leaving her home near the fairy village square in the glen, she wanders about flitting from area to area. She is listening intently to nature to make sure all is in tune. She hears the happy ray of a sunbeam as it is filtered through the leaves of a giant oak tree. She follows along as she hears the whispers of the breeze as it floats through the air.

She has gone quite a distance when she hears a sound of distress. She is not quite sure where it is coming from and slows as she tries to figure it out. She hears the sound again, almost like a soft moan. It appears to be coming from her right. She turns that way and starts flying a little faster. As she continues on the sound is getting louder.

Aria approaches a stream and sees that this is where the noise is coming from. She looks closely to see what is causing the stream so much distress. On the far side, she finally sees it. Someone had dumped some trash. There were wrappers, a couple of empty cans, and a plastic bag. This was causing the stream to not be able to flow freely. She followed the stream a little further down and saw something that saddened her even more; a small patch of wildflowers drying out and dying. It seems like the trash is blocking the water from being able to reach this area.

Aria decides that she has to help right away. She hurries back to the area with the trash to see what she can do. Now, fairies may have a huge heart and a special kind of magic but they are very tiny creatures. She flits down to the trash and tries to pick up the first thing she sees which is a candy bar wrapper. Try as she might, she just can’t lift it. It is way too big. Exhausted, Aria collapses on the bank while she contemplates how to pick up the discarded items.

In the distance Aria hears the sounds of people’s voices. Typically, she would leave immediately. She has never been spotted by a human. But today, exhausted and desperate, she wonders if they could help without seeing her.

Aria cautiously flies toward the voices and discovers two girls and a boy playing a game. An idea forms—she could lead them to the stream. Using glimmers of her wings, she captures their curiosity. The children follow her, and upon reaching the stream, discover the trash pile.

She flits between the leaves hoping that the children will see a glimmer and be curious. After a few minutes it actually works. The boy turns, points, and exclaims “Did you see that?” The girls, curious to see what it is, start moving towards where the boy pointed. Aria is very pleased with herself. She starts moving back towards the stream while making sure that the children continue to follow her. She allows little flashes of her wings to be seen to guide their way.

The taller girl shouts, “Over there, I see a sparkle!” And the three children rush ahead. They follow the faint glimmer that they see, never knowing quite what it is until they reach the edge of the stream. There they stop abruptly and look around. They no longer see the glimmer.

They are about to turn back into the woods when the smallest child notices something down at the edge of the water. “Oh look,” she cries, “I see something over there.” The three go to explore and find themselves looking at the pile of trash.

“Who would do such a thing?” the boy asks.

“We should clean it up,” states the smallest girl.

“We can use this bag,” the third child says as she pulls out the plastic bag that was tangled in the rocks along the edge. Indignant at the sight, the children decide to clean it up. Using the plastic bag they found, they diligently pick up wrappers, cans, and other debris. Once done, they realize it’s getting late and hurry home, holding tight to the bag of trash.

With the children gone, Aria emerges from her hiding spot. Already, the stream sounds better, flowing freely. She goes downstream to the wildflower patch, witnessing the positive impact—moist soil and happy flowers standing tall. The flowers are humming a happy melody.

Aria realized that it was time for her to start heading home as well. It was almost time for her daily meetup with her friends Twinkle Star, Lemon Drop and Ellie. As she flitted back towards the glen, she reflects on the children who helped with pride and happiness. She believes they’ve learned the valuable lesson that working together is essential to keep nature healthy and happy, a practice she trusts they’ll carry with them for years to come. ❖