In a tiny town tucked between towering mountains and winding rivers, lived a young girl named Sarah. She had a bright smile and a deep love for exploring things around her.

One sunny day, while walking through the woods, Sarah stumbled upon a strange stone shining from between the exposed roots of an old tree. It was unlike any stone she had seen before, shining with an extraterrestrial kind of light.

Interested, Sarah touched the stone and to her surprise, it started talking to her. The stone had feelings, emotions and memories, which it shared with Sarah. Sarah didn’t feel scared at all, instead, she felt friendly vibes towards the stone. Sarah started visiting the whispering stone daily and, each day, the stone told her a new tale full of adventures.

As days turned into weeks, Sarah kept going back to the whispering stone, wanting to know all its stories. With each visit, she heard more about places far from her village that the stone had visited — faraway lands, magical creatures and bold heroes.

“It was a new city where the boy dropped me. I was abandoned and became utterly hopeless, crying for weeks and weeks,” the stone narrated one afternoon, “until one day, I saw a girl. She passed by merrily whistling a song and it changed my perspective.”

“Oh, how so?” Sarah asked curiously.

“She was a sweet soul, cute, lovely and lonely, yet enjoying her own company,” the stone continued, “I got so fascinated by her joy and contentment that I could not be sad anymore. She taught me how to be happy even if no one is there to accompany you.”

“Then how did you come back home?” asked Sarah.

“I never did!” the stone whispered gently, “I’m still here in the same city, which I was once unfamiliar with, feeling blessed to be finally found by the girl I was inspired by, to be finally able to talk to her.”

Sarah’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You mean ... that girl ... that cute and lovely girl ... is me?” she asked softly, her cheeks turning red as she pondered over its words.

“Of course that’s you!” the stone replied, “I am telling this to you so that you can recognise the beauty within you.”

That was when Sarah found out that the real magic of the whispering stone wasn’t just the tales it told, but how its stories gave lessons to those who listened. It showed her that even a smile can make someone’s day, can cheer someone’s heart and can kick out the negativity from someone’s life.

So, dear reader, hold onto the story of Sarah and the whispering stone. Let it tell you that no matter how small you feel, you can flip the world for the good. If you think someone is lonely or silent, spread joy, pass a smile and be caring just like Sarah and make someone’s day.

Published in Dawn, Young World, June 8th, 2024