Tiny Doddy’s fall happened in a blink. One moment he was clinging to the edge of the chicken cage, curious and brave, and the next he slipped, tumbling onto the hard ground below. The sound startled everyone, but none more than Doddy himself. He froze for half a second, eyes wide with shock, then the fear burst out of him. He lay on the ground crying, arms flailing, tiny body trembling in panic and pain.
The tantrum came fast and loud. Doddy kicked the dirt, rolled from side to side, and screamed with everything his small lungs could give. It wasn’t just the fall that hurt; it was the sudden loneliness. The cage loomed above him like a monster, and the chickens fluttered away, leaving him frightened and confused. He called for his mom again and again, voice cracking, tears soaking his dusty face.
Mom rushed over, her heart breaking at the sight. She checked him gently, touching his arms, legs, and head, whispering soft sounds to calm him. Doddy resisted at first, still crying hard, pushing the ground as if angry at it for hurting him. Slowly, as Mom’s hands stayed steady and warm, his cries softened into sobs.
She lifted him carefully into her arms. Doddy clung to her tightly, burying his face against her chest, shaking as the fear drained away. His breathing slowed, hiccups replacing screams. Mom rocked him back and forth, letting him feel safe again.
After a while, Doddy peeked out, eyes swollen but curious once more. The ground no longer felt so scary from Mom’s arms. The fall taught him fear, but the comfort taught him something stronger. No matter how hard he falls, love will always catch him. Wrapped in love, Doddy learned today that safety lives in his mother’s embrace forever.
