Lotti and the courage`s secret

Lotti and the courage`s secret

A new morning awakens at Familiamus.
The sun’s rays slowly climb over the mountains of Meransen, gently brushing across the meadows as if they wanted to personally greet every single blade of grass. In the garden, tiny dewdrops still sparkle like scattered little stars, and somewhere in the distance, cheerful children’s laughter can already be heard. Little Lotti is awake early today as well. Wrapped in her cozy blanket, she sits by the window of her family room, watching the animals outside. The rabbits hop curiously around their enclosure as if they were holding a secret morning race. “Mama,” Lotti whispers softly, “they’re really cute… but also a little scary.” Mama smiles gently and strokes her hair. “Maybe they just need a little time for you to get to know each other.”

And that is exactly how Lotti’s journey toward courage begins. In the morning, she dances together with the other children in the lobby. Music fills the room, Magolix twirls through the crowd in his sparkling cape, and the activity leaders call out:

“Brave adventures often begin with one small step!”

The children laugh, spin in circles, and jump around the room with excitement. Although Lotti first stands shyly at the edge of the group, she slowly begins to dance too. At first cautiously. Then more confidently. Soon she is spinning around so happily that her braids fly through the air. After the dance, the group goes to visit the rabbits. At first, Lotti prefers to stay a few steps behind. The little fluffy creatures look soft and friendly, but their quick movements make her nervous. What if they suddenly jump? Or come running straight toward her?

But that afternoon, something special happens. Together with the Kids Club, the children take a small walk into the forest behind Familiamus. The air smells of moss and adventure. The trees rustle softly in the wind, and sunbeams dance through the branches as if painting little pathways of light through the woods. The activity leaders talk about nature, about animals, and about how everything is connected. “Nature speaks to us,” Nora explains thoughtfully. “And animals can sense exactly how we feel.” Lotti listens very carefully. Maybe, she thinks, animals really can tell when someone is kind. The next morning, she goes back to visit the rabbits. This time, all by herself. She sits quietly in the grass and simply watches them. Mindfully. Silently. And then it happens. The little rabbit Lucky hops straight toward her.

Lotti’s heart starts beating faster. But this time, she doesn’t run away. Instead, she stays calmly seated. Lucky carefully sniffs her hand, cuddles up against her leg, and even lets her stroke his soft fur. “Hello, Lucky,” Lotti whispers happily. For a moment, the whole world seems to fall silent. When Lucky finally wants to hop back to his friends, Lotti gently picks him up and carefully sets him back down in the grass. With a radiant smile, she leaves the rabbit feeding. And because her heart is suddenly so full of courage and excitement, she even dares to visit the alpacas that afternoon.
But when she stands in front of them, their long necks suddenly seem quite big. “Maybe tomorrow,” she murmurs, taking a step back instead. Later, from the trampoline, Lotti can see the little riding stable. There, she spots a pony in the paddock. A small pony with a shaggy mane and curious eyes. Pon Pon.