Episode 1: The Overly Anxious Owl

The Worrying Begins

Wylie the Owl had always been a thinker, but recently, his thoughts had become heavier, more complicated. Each day, perched high in the tallest tree, his feathers ruffled by the winds, Wylie couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of worry creeping in. His once peaceful perch had turned into a place where his anxious thoughts were free to roam.

Each morning as the sun rose, Wylie would stare at the forest, his mind racing. He’d notice the tiniest shifts in the wind and instantly worry, “What if a storm is coming? What if the weather changes suddenly?” His keen owl senses would sharpen, catching every rustle of a leaf or distant call of another bird, and his imagination would take over.

The problem was, every “what if” led to another. He’d fret over the smallest of things: "What if I can't find food today? What if the forest becomes quiet and I’m left all alone? What if I’m not as good a hunter as the other owls?" These thoughts swirled in his mind like a never-ending whirlwind.

The more Wylie worried, the more distant the world seemed. His friends noticed how distracted and tense he had become. He avoided conversations, afraid of saying the wrong thing. He even started staying in his tree longer, hesitating before leaving, afraid of what might happen outside his safe space.

The Growing Anxiety

Wylie’s worries began to consume him. It wasn’t just the weather or the food anymore. Now, he worried about everything. He became anxious about the changing seasons. Would the leaves fall too early this year? Would the ground be too cold for him to fly? And when would the moon be full again? What if it didn’t rise?

One evening, Wylie’s friend, a young squirrel named Hazel, approached him while he was lost in thought. “Hey, Wylie, you haven’t been yourself lately. You used to love the quiet of the forest. What’s going on?”

Wylie blinked, feeling a tight knot in his chest. “I don’t know, Hazel. I just keep worrying. What if something goes wrong? What if I’m not good enough?”

Hazel tilted her head, concerned. “But Wylie, you are good enough. We all are. You’ve helped me find the best acorns, and I’ve always loved your stories. You don’t need to worry so much.”

Wylie appreciated the kindness in Hazel’s words, but they didn’t seem to quiet the storm inside his mind. His thoughts kept spiraling: What if I mess things up? What if I let everyone down?

That night, as Wylie tried to sleep, his mind raced again. The sound of every twig snapping outside seemed like a threat. Every shadow on the forest floor seemed to hide something dangerous. He curled up in his nest, staring at the moon. The light from the moon, usually calming, felt like an endless reminder of how far away everything seemed. What if the moon disappeared? What if it was a sign that the world was ending?

The Intervention of Olive

The next morning, Wylie was still exhausted. His feathers were slightly ruffled from lack of rest, and his thoughts were as chaotic as ever. But that’s when he saw Olive, the wise old owl who had watched over the forest for many years. She had always been a calm presence, and she had a way of making everyone feel at ease.

Wylie felt a strange sense of relief as Olive perched beside him. "You seem troubled, Wylie," she said softly. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Wylie hesitated, unsure of how to explain the swirl of anxiety inside him. “I just can’t stop worrying,” he admitted. “What if I can’t handle everything? What if I miss something important? What if I’m not prepared for what comes next?”

Olive nodded thoughtfully. “It’s understandable to feel anxious sometimes, Wylie. Life can be unpredictable. But worrying about the future won’t change anything. All it does is steal your peace in the present.”

Wylie looked at her with wide eyes. “But how do I stop worrying?”

Olive smiled gently. “Start by focusing on now. What’s around you at this very moment? You are safe here, in the forest. The sun is shining, the trees are strong, and you are exactly where you need to be. The future will come, and when it does, we will face it together. But for now, let go of your fears and trust in yourself.”

Learning to Let Go

Olive’s words didn’t immediately fix everything. Wylie’s worries didn’t disappear overnight, but slowly, he started to learn how to manage them. Olive took him under her wing, showing him how to focus on the present moment. She encouraged him to take deep breaths, to listen to the wind, to feel the rhythm of his heartbeat.

“Take it one step at a time,” Olive told him. “You don’t have to have all the answers right now. Just trust that, when the time comes, you’ll know what to do.”

Wylie practiced what Olive taught him every day. When he felt the anxiety creeping in, he would pause and take a deep breath, allowing himself to become grounded in the present. He learned to focus on the small things—like the way the leaves glimmered in the sunlight or the sound of his wings flapping through the air. He noticed the beauty of each moment, one by one.

It wasn’t easy, but over time, Wylie began to feel lighter. He still had anxious thoughts, but they didn’t control him anymore. When the worries came, he acknowledged them, but he didn’t let them take over. He learned that it was okay to have doubts, but he didn’t need to act on every single one of them.

Embracing the Unknown

As the seasons changed, Wylie began to feel a new sense of peace. He wasn’t perfect, and there were still times when anxiety crept in. But now, he understood that it was okay to not have everything figured out. The world was unpredictable, and that was part of its beauty.

One evening, as the sun set and the moon began to rise, Wylie perched on his favorite branch and watched the sky. For the first time in a long while, he didn’t feel the need to worry about what was coming. He simply sat there, feeling the breeze, and letting himself be present in the moment.

The moon was bright and full, casting a soft light over the forest. Wylie thought back to all the times he had worried about it—what it meant, what it symbolized, what it could bring. But now, he saw it for what it truly was: a beautiful part of the world that didn’t need to be understood or controlled. It was enough to simply appreciate its light.

Wylie smiled to himself. He was still learning, still growing, but he had come a long way. And that was enough for now.

Lesson: Finding Peace in the Present

Wylie learned that life was unpredictable, and trying to control everything only led to more stress. By learning to focus on the present and embrace uncertainty, he found a peace he had never known before. The future would come, and when it did, he would face it with the knowledge that he could handle whatever came his way.

And so, Wylie stopped worrying so much. He embraced the unknown, knowing that life wasn’t about having all the answers—it was about living each moment fully, without fear of what might happen next.

End.