You should always love and respect your friends even though you may look different or come from different cultures. Sometimes I encounter people who are close minded and unaccepting of people who are different. They are rude and say hurtful things to others who are different in some way. Being close minded is harmful to society and only leads to hatred and anger. This isn't way to live life. The world is full of fascinating people and cultures. If you take time to make friends with people from all walks of life you can learn so many interesting things about the world. It doesn't matter if your friends are from a different ethnic or racial categories, dress different, talk differently, eat different foods, or hundreds of other things.

The following story is a short tale to talk about how friends should love their friends no matter their differences.

A Friend Is A Friend No Matter What

Marx the rabbit loved having friends! She lived in a neighborhood with lots of other animals and she loved visiting them all to see how animals of different types lived. She was always learning about new cultures and enjoyed how diverse her neighborhood was. There were dogs, cats, chickens, beavers, raccoons, possums, birds, and more all living within hopping distance. Right next door to Marx lived a cat family and the little rabbit frequently could be found visiting her close friends Rafa, Poe, and Snowman.

Rafa the cat was a cuddly cat. His orange and white fur was silky soft. He and Marx rabbit would cuddle and take naps in the daytime. Both animals loved playing at night. Rafa was an agile cat who could jump high in the air and could run fast. He and the little rabbit would run wild through the grassy fields outside. Rafa was a hunter and enjoyed catching mice. Marx never worried about her friend trying to hunt her and felt safe curling up for a daytime nap.

Poe was a mysterious gray cat. He was often found in the shadows, lurking and watching other animals. At first Marx was afraid of Poe because he didn't talk much and kept to himself. His dark fur made him seem like a dangerous cat. He was a hunter like Rafa and could often be found catching and eating mice out in the fields.

One day Marx decided to climb Poe's cat tree to have a talk and learn more about him. Poe seemed to enjoy the rabbit's company and told her he really enjoyed having a new friend. Marx learned what kinds of sights Poe saw from his cat tree. It was in front of a window so Poe could see all the animals in the neighborhood when they passed by. It was peaceful. After that day Marx and Poe often spent quiet moments together enjoying watching the world from up high.

Snowman was Marx the rabbits winter time buddy. Snowman was a pure white cat who loved the snow. Marx also loved snow and the two would go on adventures out in the forest exploring. Snowman loved the little rabbit and watched out for her in the winter wonderland. He made sure no big animal bullies bothered his friend. Snowman was very skilled in survival techniques. He taught Marx all about the forest and how to avoid hunters traps, barbed wire fences, and more. Snowman was a very intelligent cat and Marx learned a lot from him.

Marx the rabbit loved meeting new friends. All of her cat buddies had different interests and skills and they were always happy to spend time with Marx. The little rabbit was always happy to talk about being a bunny and to share her own skills with her friends. Sometimes other animals teased Marx for making friends with cats because cats and rabbits are often enemies. To Marx, it didn't matter that they were different types of animals. As long as they could share, laugh, play, and enjoy life together, the little bunny was happy.

photo credit: all photos are my own

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