In a galaxy far, far away, on a small planet where the sky was pink and orange, on this quiet day the only sound was the breeze in Mr. Ferret’s garden, the simple, neat, well-arranged one. When you stood on his porch, you could see branches swaying in the wind, birds slowly pecking their wings, and brown, yellow, and red leaves rustling and gliding gently along the ground. The Indian summer blended beautifully with the orange-pink sky.
Mr. Ferret, wrapped in a knitted scarf, had been raking leaves since morning, intently but with a gentle whistling on his lips. Sometimes he bent down to pick something up, other times he ran his hand across his forehead to wipe the sweat from it, and every now and then he took a break, leaned against the rake and observed his surroundings.
When he was finished, he put his tools in the cupboard, locked it, returned home, carefully wiped his shoes, took them off, hung his scarf and jacket on the hanger, and headed straight for the soft armchair by the window. Tea freshly made by Mrs. Ferret and the latest newspaper were already waiting for him on the table. He made himself comfortable there, in the peace and quiet of an ordinary day. He didn’t expect at all that in the distance, black clouds began to gather in the sky at his friends’ daffodil houses. In literally a few minutes they were thick, compact, and the only thing that cut them was bright lightning. There were so many of them that they surrounded the small planet of daffodil houses in such a way that no neighbors saw what was happening there.
All the houses, without exception, felt fear… The terrifying one, creaking in the door frames, floors and foundations. They opened the shutters wide and looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Nothing like this has ever happened in their peaceful land.
And it started raining…
Slowly at first, as if giving a warning sign with thick, fleshy drops. It’s as if they were saying “we are here, we will start in a moment, hide or protect yourself as much as you can.”
But the houses were paralyzed and unable to move or make a sound. There was nothing they could do at this point anyway. They didn’t know what to expect either.
And then everything went crazy… it roared so loudly that the cup on Mr. Ferret’s distant planet trembled, and a moment later the rain hit with great force. It rained and rose and pooled on the ground, accompanied by wind and whistle. Once a huge stream had gathered, it gained momentum and began to flow – strongly, mercilessly, without any inhibitions. He tore up fences, flowers, broke trees and destroyed a well-ordered world. It turned around, hit the walls of houses and changed the entire landscape.
Helplessness, despair and dull pain – that’s what accompanied the houses at this difficult moment. Some couldn’t close their eyes, others couldn’t stop looking. However, they all froze.
It all went on for an hour, maybe two, and then suddenly it stopped. The clouds disappeared, the water seemed to have evaporated, leaving only unbearable feelings and omnipresent destruction.
Neighbors who were previously cut off and did not see what was happening on a small planet with houses, now saw the enormity of suffering. Terrified by this sight, they called everyone they could to raise the alarm, including Mr. Ferret.
The entire galaxy came to help – with brooms, supplies, paints, kind words, a willingness to help and a tender, compassionate look. But before they did anything, Mr. Ferret asked them for a moment.
– I want to talk to my friends and ask what they need most right now, he said.
And as always, he walked from house to house. He sat down with everyone and said:
– I see you’re suffering, little house. I’m very, very sorry. It’s so unfair what happened to you. It is completely normal that you are shocked, that you ask “why?”, that you stand still and that all this, in a way only you know, hurts you very much. You have the right to all this and everything that happens to you is ok. I can’t imagine what you feel, I don’t fully understand it, but I want you to know that I am with you. I’ll be here if you need me.
With that said, he continued doing what he always did – listening to what his friends had to say.
Some talked about what had happened, others cried, and some sat in silence. He hugged some houses, patted others on the door frames, and with others he was just there. There were also those with whom he joked. Each of them reacted to the stress they experienced in their own way.
At the end, before he left, he added:
– I believe that you will cope with this situation and you will have many more beautiful days. I know you probably don’t feel it right now and it’s hard for you to believe it. But remember that I believe for you.
After this conversation, all the houses tried to stop for a moment and focus on themselves first. They took deep breaths and exhalations. At the same time, observing it, but not trying to change anything about it. They tried to feel the smell and temperature of the air, the rhythm of their breathing and how their boards expanded and contracted again and again. They breathed and looked inside themselves… They checked which emotions were hiding in the corners and which ones were dancing in the living room, they looked for the mood in the main halls and basements. They didn’t judge anything they found inside, they didn’t criticize anything… they just checked what was inside them now. From the foundations, to the attic, roof and roof tiles, through the kitchen, living room, storage room, bathroom and bedrooms. They accepted it all, this whole range of emotions, with understanding and tenderness towards each other. And the more they knew what was inside them, the calmer they felt. After everything that had happened to them, they wanted to start from this place – from themselves… And only then accept help from others.
This was the message that Mr. Ferret conveyed to those who came from near and far corners of the galaxy – he said which houses were ready for work and cleaning. These welcomed and thanked the newcomers. And there they started painting, repairing, arranging and doing everything possible to deal with the situation. Leaving space and time for those who now preferred to be alone.
Finally, Mr. Ferret returned home tired. He looked at the tidy garden, walked across the porch, opened the door, polished his shoes, and headed towards the armchair where he sat down comfortably. Mrs. Ferret made him and brought him tea in a pot, placed her hand gently on his shoulder and smiled at him tenderly, saying as if “I know it’s difficult for you too. “I’m here for you.”
And he just thought how much he didn’t appreciate the quiet days…
– From now on, I’ll try to do it more often – he promised himself, and without even knowing when… he fell asleep.
