It was a dense forest near the black mountains. Animals lived there with peace and harmony. Yet they all had their own concerns, and fears. They had a common worry. It was to deal with the weight of their thoughts... They kept worrying about everything. 
Bob the Bear remained worried about the future. He suffered from the fear of unknown. 
“Oh no! What if it rains tomorrow? I won’t be able to find any food!” he would say.
Sam the Squirrel, Bob’s best friend was a good planner. “Don't worry, buddy! I’ve stored enough nuts and honey for us to last the whole season!” she tried to assure him.
Laura the Lioness was a real nostalgic and gloomy. She lost her partner, the lion king, a couple of years ago. She sighed: “Remember when we were together? We used to roam freely. Those were the good old days, gone forever...”
This conversation longs on. They somehow got used to talk about worries only.
Olive, the wise Owl noticed their struggle with disturbing thoughts. One day he came up with an idea, and called a meeting. 
“Friends, have you noticed how our thoughts are weighing us down? We’re stuck in a cycle of worry, as well as planning, and regret. Isn’t it only a fear of the unknown? Don’t you think it’s time to have a break?”
Bob asked: “But how? I can’t help worrying about my life and the future. Something unknown kept disturbing me. What if there is no tomorrow?” he expressed himself.
“Ahhh! Good old days are gone. No one knows whether we will be happy and see tomorrow or not...” added Laura.
Olive replied: “Well! I understand your concerns… Let’s do an activity. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Just focus on the present moment. What could you see, hear, and smell right now?”
As directed, the animals closed their eyes, and took a deep breath. 
Bob yelled: “I can’t see anything. I got lost in my thoughts.”
Laura sighed: “Poor us. We have nothing.”
“It’s alright. I appreciate your effort. We will do this activity every day.” Olive responded.
They kept doing the exercise. Initially there was no outcome. After a couple of days, animals managed to focus and control their thoughts.
It was a bright sunny day. During the exercise, Bob’s eyes closed, exclaimed with joy: “I see the sun shining. Could hear the birds singing, and smell the fragrance of wildflowers!”
Sam nodded: “Now I understand what you mean, Olive. We are like trees and our plans are like branches. They will bend, and definitely are adaptable. I can act more flexible and easy-going!”
Laura whispered: “But what about my regrets? I can’t forget the past...”
Olive placed a gentle wing on her shoulder.
“Dear, you are the spring and your regrets are like autumn leaves. They are bound to wither and fall away. Practice forgiveness and self-compassion. You are more than your past and fears.”
She gently smiled.
Slowly but surely, animals began to understand. Bob learned to appreciate the present. Sam balanced her planning with flexibility. Laura practiced self-kindness, empathy and gratitude.
Time passed and the winter bell started ringing. Just then, a robust storm hit the forest. It knocked down trees, and disturbed their shelters. It was the critical time for everyone. 
Instead of freaking out, animals worked together. They employed their unique skills to rebuild and adapt accordingly.
As they put their efforts, Olive said: “Friends! You see, the weight of our thoughts is optional. We can choose to let go. We can adapt, and appreciate whatever we have. That’s the secret to living in harmony with ourselves, and each other.”
Bob exclaimed: “We did it! We worked together to fight our concerns. We emerged unbreakable, and made our home even better than before!”
“And we learned to appreciate the present, even in the midst of chaos!” Sam added.
Laura smiled: “We might have lost many things in past. But have gained a new appreciation for life and nature. We are stronger together!”
Olive looked on, proud of his friends. He smiled and said: “You successfully learnt the secret. The power of thoughts can either weigh us down or set us free. Don’t let your thoughts control you. Remember, the choice is always yours.”
Animals nodded and smiled.
From that day on, the animals in the forest lived happily with a newfound consciousness. Now they control their thoughts. They choose to let go of the weight of thoughts and fears. Finally, they learned to live in harmony with themselves and each other.