National Day on Writing: Celebrating Student Writer, Brianne MacDougall

THURSDAY, OCT. 20, 2022

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Brianne MacDougall and her best friend, Reggie.

ctober 20 is National Day on Writing, an opportunity brought forth by the National Council of Teachers of English to celebrate writers’ creativity and passion for their craft.

Today, we’re sharing the work of Brianne MacDougall, a Grade 7 student at Oneida Central Public School. For as long as she can remember, Brianne has been interested in all styles of writing, reading, music, art and drama. When she isn’t working on her Grade 3 Royal Conservatory Music or auditioning for a role in the local musical, Brianne works on enhancing her craft in creative writing.  

The following story, “The Little Bunny Who Found His Gift,” was written by Brianne in Grade 6.


 

The Little Bunny Who Found His Gift

By Brianne MacDougall

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nce upon a time, there was a little bunny named Timothy, the youngest bunny in Springville. Poor Timothy was often bullied; for he had bent ears, awkward bunny hops, and partly crooked teeth that made it difficult to eat carrots! However, Timothy had the one thing that was different from the other bunnies in the most splendid way. It wasn’t his extra-super-bionic hearing, nor his soft, light beige fur with creamy coloured patches, or even his lovely, sparkling blue eyes. What could it be, you ask? It was the quality that matters the most in anybunny: a kind heart. Timothy was soon to discover that perhaps he was the only somebunny who truly understood what Easter is all about.

‘Twas a sunshine-filled April afternoon, and all of the bunnies in Springville worked to have everything looking tidy, organized, and lovely for the one and only Easter Bunny when he arrived to do his job. With everything prepared for him, all he would have to do is add his final MAGIC touches, through creative hiding spots for the eggs, delivering baskets to each house, and sprinkling magical Easter dust all around Springville with his super-speed. Children everywhere awaited the coming of Easter morning, and the bunnies simply could not disappoint!

“Prepare another carrot cake for the Easter party, somebunny ate this one!”, declared Timothy’s brother Tom, with a guilty smirk on his face. He was the bunny who loved treats most.

“Design and dye the eggs! The Easter bunny gives more to things that are pretty”, giggled his self-absorbed sister Flora, batting her lengthy eyelashes.

Whilst all of the other bunnies worked to prepare things, little Timothy tried to find something he could help with. He tried to help paint the eggs, but his long floppy ears dipped in the paint. Next, he tried to help with hiding the eggs, but for every ten that the other bunnies would hide, he would only get one hidden due to being slow and clumsy. When he tried to run down the hill to the perfect hiding place in the bushes, he tripped and rolled down. “Hippity, hoppity, floppity!”, sighed Timothy, feeling defeated and useless. “I can’t even be the chocolate taste-tester, for it would get stuck in my teeth!” Timothy sobbed loudly. His Mother heard him, and so she scurried over to console him.

“Timothy, I know you want to help, and I appreciate it. But, sometimes, the best way for some bunnies to help is to simply stay out of the way. We don’t want a disastrous Easter, so everything must go perfectly. Why don’t you give Mama a hug and go relax in the garden, ok?” his mother expressed quietly, feeling sorry for her youngest bunny who was given no talents to help with Easter preparations.

A big fat tear rolled down his face. Feeling lonely and unhelpful, Timothy sat watching the bugs in the grass and the birds up in the sky. “There has to be something I can do?” thought Timothy. All of my siblings have some sort of gift, so what is mine? Molly is artistic, Christopher is athletic, Flora is stylish, Daisy’s musically talented, Ricky is intelligent, and Tom’s funny, but what talent do I have? And then it dawned on him! “I’m good at seeing the best in others, just as I can see the talents in all of my other siblings. “Not only that, he thought, there were a few things the other bunnies had forgotten about Easter: the true meaning of Easter. They had the chocolate, the treats, the toys, decorated eggs, flowers, and the baskets, but what they had forgotten was this: Easter is really about three main things: kindness to others, spending quality time with family and friends, and above all, the fact that Jesus sacrificed his life on the cross for us, and he rose again! It was time for Timothy to grow a positive attitude, and spread the true meaning of Easter!!

“I, Timothy Greene, am positive, intelligent, hardworking, and best of all, a very kind bunny. So now, I just need an idea”, he muttered thoughtfully. “Hmmm...”, he thought aloud, “well, I have beautiful penmanship, so I could write small notes for in the eggs, with messages of positivity, compliments, and sharing of the true meaning of Easter for the children!!”, Timothy stated, bursting with excitement.

Now all Timothy needed was some help from God, and perhaps the Easter Bunny, and he had created a wonderful Easter surprise! He set to work immediately. Timothy ran through the meadow and back to the “Egg-stravaganza Easter Factory” where his family was working. Timothy began with writing the notes to spread the Christian meaning of Easter first. Then, he moved on to writing some positive affirmations for all of the children! Timothy secretly grinned at his special Easter surprise.  The next step was to sit at the egg conveyor, and put notes inside each egg. Finally, after hours of hard work, he looked at the clock on the wall, “8:30pm! Hippity, hoppity, time to go to bed!”, he exclaimed. Timothy gave bunny kisses goodnight to his family by wriggling his nose to their nose, and hopped off to his bed in the meadows to go to sleep. When he woke up, the Easter Bunny would have arrived! Almost drifting off to sleep, Timothy remembered that he needed to say a prayer! Timothy’s prayer was short and sweet, and it went like this: “Dear God, everybody usually thinks that Easter is all about chocolate, and flowers, and eggs; oh my! But the real meaning of Easter is in my heart and soul, and you sure know why! For your only son Jesus Christ died for us on the cross on Good Friday, but I know I have reason to rejoice, so hip, hip, hooray! For on the Monday Jesus rose again, and we will see him in Heaven, when we get there, AMEN! Oh, and one last thing! Please let the Easter Bunny have safe travels, and all the somebodies, and somebunnies have a wonderful Easter! NOW I can say Amen!”.  Off to sleep went Timothy.

Dreaming of all of the smiling children who he would see in the morning, Timothy heard a gentle voice cutting into his dreams. Who could it be?? Timothy sat up, and what did he see, or who, I suppose? “Could it be?”, thought Timothy, rubbing his eyes. The figure had big, floppy bunny ears, a basket full of beautiful chocolate eggs in his hand, and a hop in his step…YES! It was the one and only Easter Bunny, standing in front of Timothy!

“Hello, Timothy Greene!” whispered the Easter Bunny happily.

“H-hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Easter Bunny, Timothy said quietly, and shyly. “Mr. Easter Bunny, sir, might I ask why you’re here to see me?”.

“First of all, you may call me by my first name, which is actually George!”, chuckled the Easter Bunny. “And to answer your question, I came here to thank you!”.

“Why do you need to thank me, George?” whispered little Timothy.

“I want to thank you for what you put inside the eggs, Timothy!”, stated the Easter Bunny, or “George”, empathetically. “Many parents don’t teach their children morals and the true meaning of Easter anymore, or take them to church to be taught. You have given those children a bit of joy, and some faith within them. That’s something that cannot be replaced with materialistic things!”

“I’m just happy that I could do something to help!”, said Timothy, “and now I hear that I am helping place joy, and goodness, and faith and a whole lot of other great things into the lives of children?! Wowee!” exclaimed Timothy with his heart pounding with excitement, and HAPPY TEARS in his eyes.

“That’s right Timothy. Not only that, you taught them that it’s what’s on the inside that counts. The most beautifully coloured, intricately detailed egg may have nothing inside, but a simple, white, egg could have such goodness inside of it, like your notes! And you, Timothy, are a true example of what a golden egg is. You are creative, kind, helpful, compassionate, smart, funny, respectful, and so much more! Thank you from the bottom of my rapidly fast beating bunny heart for spreading such gloriousness not only on Easter, but every day, just by being YOU!”, said George the Easter Bunny in the sincerest way. “I would like to stay and chat, but I must continue my Easter journey. Happy Easter, Timothy!”

“Hippity, hoppity, Happy Easter to you too! Safe travels!”, Timothy said with a smile on his face.

After, Timothy went right back to sleep, and when he woke up, he was ever so joyous to see gracious smiling faces everywhere he looked in Springville. In his heart, Timothy knew that he was part of the happiness this Easter day. “HOPPY EASTER, everybody!” declared Timothy. “Hippity, Hoppity, Happy Easter to you too, Timothy.”, said the family in unison.