Once Upon a Feeling
Once Upon A Feeling is a storytelling and parenting podcast that honors children’s emotions and the complexity of caregiving. Through thoughtful conversations and developmentally informed insights, it helps parents create emotional space—so guidance comes from presence, not pressure.
Once Upon a Feeling
Once upon a feeling #2 Big Orange Sky read by Dylan
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Big Orange Sky: When Home Changes After a Wildfire
We’re so happy you’re here for our second episode of Once Upon a Feeling — the podcast where we talk about growing up: the fun parts, the weird parts, the messy parts… and the magical parts too.
This podcast is inspired by stories from Gooshi, read by kids who have lived through similar experiences. You can explore more stories in the app here:
🌎 https://gooshi.world/
About This Episode;
In this episode, we talk about wildfires and other natural disasters — and what it feels like when something big and sudden changes the place you call home.
Our special guest and reader today is Dylan (11 years old), who lost her home 10 months ago in the Eden Fire in Southern California.
Dylan shares:
- What she remembers from the day of the fire
- How it felt to evacuate
- What helped her feel safe
- What “home” means to her now
📖 Storytime: Big Orange Sky
Dylan reads Big Orange Sky, the story of three siblings — Sienna, Mateo, and Lily — who notice the sky turning orange as a wildfire approaches their neighborhood.
Through their eyes, we explore:
- The fear of having to pack just one special thing
- The uncertainty of leaving home
- The many different emotions adults feel
- A community coming together to help
- The mix of sadness and hope after loss
This story gently reminds us that big feelings are normal after something scary — and that even when things change, people can help rebuild what matters most.
💬 A Conversation with Dylan
After the story, host Rita Bezzola talks with Dylan about her real-life experience during the fire.
Some powerful moments from their conversation include:
- Evacuating to a hotel and waking up to a bright red sky
- Choosing just one stuffed animal to pack
- How evacuating with a close friend helped her feel calmer
- Returning to the “dirt patch” where her home once stood and planting seeds
- Recovering her childhood stuffed animal and restoring it
- Her message to other kids going through something similar:
“Everything is going to be okay. It might feel really sad at first, but when you get a new house, things will start to feel almost normal again.”