Story time: The whispering stone

Published June 8, 2024
Illustration by Aamnah Arshad
Illustration by Aamnah Arshad

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

Opinion

Editorial

Lack of direction
Updated 12 Jun, 2025

Lack of direction

Few believe that a govt desperate to grow the economy can actually pull it off, as the dynamism required is not visible.
Taxing e-commerce
12 Jun, 2025

Taxing e-commerce

FOR the first time, the government has the digital economy in its crosshairs. With a slew of new measures proposed ...
Kashmir mediation
12 Jun, 2025

Kashmir mediation

ONE of the noteworthy outcomes of last month’s limited clashes between Pakistan and India is that the Kashmir ...
Ambitious goals
Updated 11 Jun, 2025

Ambitious goals

There is not much in the budget to give hope for such a structural shift
Battlefield LA
11 Jun, 2025

Battlefield LA

THE disturbing scenes emerging from Los Angeles, one of America’s richest cities, resemble the chaotic events ...
Road to stardom
Updated 11 Jun, 2025

Road to stardom

Sana has earned her place for not just her achievements on the pitch but also her role off it.