Lila's Forever Home

Hello. My name is Lila. For a long, long time, my family and I walked all day long. We walked and walked and walked. We followed big fuzzy animals to find our dinner. We looked for yummy red berries on green bushes. We never had a forever home. We slept in tents that we could pack up and carry. But one day, my parents found the perfect spot. It was right next to a shiny, wiggly river. My papa said, “Lila, our moving days are over. We are going to build our forever home right here.” I was so happy I jumped up and down. No more walking all day. We would have a home that stayed in one place, always.

Now we do new things that are so exciting. Instead of just looking for food, we make it grow. My mama gave me tiny, tiny seeds. We poked little holes in the soft dirt and tucked the seeds inside. It felt like a secret. Then, something magic happened. Little green sprouts popped up from the ground. Mama said those sprouts would grow into tall wheat, and we would make yummy, warm bread. We also built our new house. It wasn't a tent. It was strong and cozy, made from mud and sticks. It keeps us warm when the wind blows. A little wolf pup came to visit. He was furry and friendly, and now he stays with us all the time. He is my very first pet, and he wags his tail when I give him scraps from our dinner.

Soon, other families came to live by the river, too. They built their own mud and stick houses right next to ours. Now we have a little village. We are not alone anymore. My mother and I make squishy clay pots. We let them dry in the sun until they are hard. The pots keep our seeds safe and dry from the rain. I love our new life. I have a warm house, a full tummy, and friends to play with every day. I feel so safe and happy in our forever home, in our wonderful new village.

Period duration c. 1970