Once upon a time there was a tiny onion bulb. She lived in the dirt. She drank water from the ground and stretched her green leaves up above the dirt to soak in the warmth of the sun. She loved her home. It was comfortable, easy and all she knew.

One day there was a wizard walking through the field she was growing in. He set his staff down to tie his shoe. With the rumbling above her, she excitedly shook her leaves and the staff touched one tiny leaf. She instantly felt something magical soar through her leaves, down through her bulb, all the way to the tips of her outstretched roots. This wizard didn't realize his impact. He picked up his staff and walked on. But, down deep in the ground, this beautiful onion had magic that flowed. To her surprise, she started growing rapidly. She sprouted legs and arms. She grew so much that soon she popped up out of the ground. With this amazing sun on her skin, she pulled herself up from the ground and headed out to see what the world had in store for her.

Along the way, she made the most magical friends. She became friends with every type of fruit, vegetable, plant, and animal she met. They each taught her something new. This small onion loved to learn, and every time she learned something new, she grew a tiny bit. She was a beautiful onion - with a beautiful heart!

Onion was always looking to help others. She was always looking to share a bit of her knowledge with others, but she always felt there was a little more to share that she didn't yet understand.

One day, she was over at her friend Squirrel's house. They were having a wonderful time together. Squirrel was prepping for a dinner party that night and was in need of some spices for her soup. Time was running out and there wasn't enough time to run to the corner store and grab any spices. Then, Onion had an idea. She had always known she was made up of layers. What would happen if she shared one of her layers to help spruce up the soup? So, without hesitation, she took off a layer and shared it with Squirrel. Squirrel was surprised by Onion's generosity. That soup was the healthiest and best-tasting soup Squirrel had ever made. As Onion was leaving Squirrel's house that night, she felt an incredible sense of joy. It made her feel free to share a bit of herself. She felt lighter. She felt true.

Sharing who you truly are was a feeling that stuck with Onion. It made a big impact, and a few days later she was out for a walk. She saw someone off in the distance sitting by themselves near some rocks. She got closer and realized it was her friend Orange. Orange looked different. She had been peeled. Onion crouched down and asked Orange what had happened. Orange said, "I was playing on the playground and had taken my peel off so I wouldn't get it dirty. I forgot to pick it up before I left the playground and now I'm really cold". Onion, without hesitation, knew what to do. She took off one of her layers and quickly wrapped it around Orange's shoulders. She sat there with Orange for a few minutes. They didn't talk. Orange felt the wonderful friendship that came from Onion. No sound was needed. Kindness is energy.



Onion was growing in every way possible. Her heart was getting bigger, her smile was widening, her joy was increasing and her friendships were blossoming.

One of her very best friends was Dragon Fruit. No one understood Dragon Fruit. Dragon Fruit was beautiful and kind, yet very quiet. Onion and Dragon Fruit were together one day and Onion could tell that there was something bothering Dragon Fruit. But, Dragon Fruit would not talk about it. Onion did not want to pry, but Onion knew that opening up and releasing your feelings can be very freeing. Onion had an idea. Onion took off another layer. She broke the layer into smaller pieces, and then gave all of the pieces to Dragon Fruit. It took a few minutes for the gas and enzymes from the broken onion pieces to mix, but as soon as they did, Dragon Fruit could no longer hold it all in. She started to cry. She told Onion about how she was feeling left out and about an argument she had with a good friend. Onion just listened. About an hour later, Dragon Fruit had come up with a plan to apologize to her friend. She also realized she was feeling left out because she wasn’t communicating. Therefore, others felt like she wanted space, when what she really wanted was to have others ask her to hang out. It’s amazing how a good cry will help you break down those barriers you keep putting up for yourself. Onion was a good listener!

Onion finally understood! If you share a little bit of yourself, everyone grows. She felt so free! She was shedding layers, getting lighter, yet continuing to grow all at the same time. As Onion grew and helped others, the sunshine was a little bit warmer. She felt a little healthier. She was a little more energetic. And she loved everyone around her. She felt that with each person she touched, she shared a tiny bit of that original, simple magic touch. She was given so many layers so that she could continue to help others. So she could give without hesitation and, in return, she would always regrow, learn and spread her magic.