It was summer! Summer had arrived, and Matthew loved summer! Everything seemed cheerful and colorful, as if the sun was always smiling! Matthew had moved from their house in Fort Worth to a nearby farm. Their family wanted to be closer to nature. Matthew loved the move! He could play freely there, especially with his superpower, Running like a race car! There was a beautiful, peaceful stream on the farm and a lake where Matthew could swim!
There were many animals on the farm, but Matthew was always fascinated by the storks and their long legs. They walked so gracefully! Matthew tried to imitate the storks' walk. He was so energetic! Matthew was playing with the ducklings in the lake when he noticed a duck sitting on eggs! What a magical moment, Matthew saw the eggs starting to crack and little ducklings hatching! But one egg, the largest of all, didn't hatch. The duck seemed worried but kept sitting on it.
Days later, Matthew returned to the lake, and the duck was no longer there! The large egg had cracked, and among the ducklings, there was another baby, bigger, with different colored feathers, a different beak, and a different manner. It seemed sad. Matthew, who easily made friends with animals, went to talk to the different duckling. "Why are you sad?" he asked. "There's a whole farm and a beautiful garden to explore!" The duckling replied, "I'm sad because I'm different from my siblings, and I don't feel good about it. All the other ducks in the lake laugh at me, and it makes me feel bad."
"No!" said Matthew. "We would love your company!" He told the duckling about his hiding place, Car world, which could be a safe place for them to play! "Come back tomorrow!" Matthew returned the next day as promised, but the duckling was no longer there. The duckling was so sad that he decided to leave and try to find other friends. This didn't work out either. Everywhere he went, the other ducks mocked him.
It was a difficult journey for the duckling. The seasons changed, and he always had to move because he never seemed to be welcomed. He only felt embraced by nature. Matthew played by the lake every day but never saw his duckling friend. Matthew played with his cars. Spring arrived, and the duckling loved spring just as Matthew loved summer! After a long and difficult journey, the duckling found himself near the lake where he was born. He approached cautiously, not wanting his siblings to laugh at him. But when he reached the water's edge, he saw his reflection, like in a mirror! He was no longer an ugly duckling but a beautiful swan! That's why everyone thought he was so strange!
That day, Matthew went to play in the water and recognized his friend! What a special reunion! Matthew was amazed at his friend, now a swan. He was so energetic! They finally played joyfully! Matthew and the swan understood that being strange wasn't wrong but just being who they are! Being strange is being different, and everyone is! And isn't being different just being who we are?
