“I tell a story, and therefore I exist. I exist because there are stories, and if there are no stories, we don’t exist. We create stories to define our existence. If we do not create the
stories, we probably go mad.” Shekhar Kapur
Writing was always part of my life. Writing my emotions down always felt safer and more natural than feeling them. When I studied art therapy 8 years ago, I chose writing and storytelling as my tool for healing and sharing. Today, writing feels like the only way I can give worth and meaning to my life.
It is the only tool I have to leave something meaningful behind.
I discovered reading only much later in life. I was never read bedtime stories and the stories that I was told always reinforced my fears of abandonment and conditional love. I discovered children stories through my girls and with every story that I read, I healed. I realized that the stories I read my children, were not only for them, but for my inner child too. She, too, longed to hear stories that heal, soothe and build confidence and character.
After having read so many children stories, I heard my inner child ask for specific themes that I didn’t come across yet. I longed to hear specific words, to be soothed in a specific kind of way. Seeing my children and nephews going through different life changes that I also struggled with, stories started to
unfold in my head and I began to write stories for them and secretly for me.
The Mighty Oak Who Embraced Change was first written in 2016, before I had my girls. It was written for my nephew who was moving from Belgium to Florida. A big change, I thought… a story would help. And so, The Mighty Oak Who Embraced Change came alive. After I had my girls, I reread the story a year ago, and I thought it’s a pity to keep the story under covers and not share it with them and other kids who are facing changes.
The story is now published in Romanian and English and it addresses children from 4 to 8 years old. The main goal of the book is to teach children about resilience and how to face their fears by looking at nature and how it deals with its periodical changes. Oakley is a tree who fears losing its leaves, acorns and friends with the changing seasons. His mother is there to lead the way and help him embrace his fear through fascination, curiosity and singing.
If I were to compare my book to other ones, I would mention:
The Hugging Tree: A story about Resilience by Jill Neimark
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Grandpa Tree by Mike Donahue
However, my book is different from the books mentioned above because it humanizes much more nature, trees, wildlife and it brings them closer to our world. Its sensory text bonds children and parents and soothes anxiousness regarding changes in their lives.
Before publishing it, I received the green light from two psychologists, Diana Amza, psychotherapist in Experiential Unification Psychotherapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Marie Phillips, Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist. When writing stories for children, I think it is crucial to have the text approved by a psychologist. Both therapists softened my text and introduced words to heal and soothe a child’s anxious heart regarding changes. Therefore, I am confident that the book is safe and nurturing to a child’s soul.
As the book addresses all changing seasons, it stays relevant thought out the year. It is a perfect
present for a birthday or holiday such as Christmas and it can be ordered from any Amazon both in English and Romanian.
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