Little Rabbit and the Thoughts Still Awake

Nuan brushed his teeth, drank some water, and tucked himself under the blanket. His body was ready for bed, but three streams of thought were still awake. One circled around the bedroom door, one worried about a carrot seed, and one wondered where the moon went each morning.

Nuan pulled the blanket over his ears. “Stop thinking right now!” But the more he chased the thoughts, the more their ribbons tangled. Nuan's ears stood straighter than ever. The little rabbit peeked out and called softly, “Dad? My mind is still running.”

Dad sat beside the bed. “We don't have to chase thoughts away. Let's name each one.” Nuan told him about the door, the carrot seed, and the moon. Dad listened to the end. Then they slowly said together, “I see you, little thought. Tonight, my body needs to rest.”

The door thought could be handled now, so Dad left it open as Nuan preferred. The carrot-seed thought could wait, so Nuan invited its sprout ribbon to rest beside the watering can as a reminder for tomorrow. The moon thought needed no quick answer. Nuan waved as it passed. “I see you, little thought. Tonight, my body needs to rest.”

Nuan stayed awake a little longer, and that was all right. Dad sat nearby while the little rabbit's breathing gradually became even. The door ribbon rested at the bedside, the seed thought waited beside the watering can, and the moon thought floated on. Nuan did not force sleep—but when his body was ready, sleep arrived quietly on its own.