A Short Story for Children
By Emily Yetzer
He held tight to his teddy bear,
As his mom turned off the light.
The boy knew all days ended with bedtime,
But that didn’t make the dark less scary at night.
The boy’s mind was filled with big thoughts.
He tossed and he turned in bed.
Are there creatures and monsters hiding?
Is that a shadow, or the boogeyman’s head?!
He tip-toed towards the window and peered out.
A big brown owl flew in the night sky.
“He’s not scared of the dark,” thought the boy.
“I must ask him why!
“Excuse me,” said the boy; The owl turned in reply.
“How do you fly at night without a care?”
“There’s a light in the sky, called the moon that,
I, Wisdom the Owl, know will always be there.”
The little boy sprung to his closet.
And he pulled out a camping light.
“Thank you, Wisdom, this will help,
He said with delight.”
For three weeks and two days
The boy slept peacefully at night.
Not a single thought of a scary creature
Filled his mind with fright.
The light kept out the boogeyman.
It kept out the scary creatures.
The light kept out ghouls and bad dreams
And the under-the-bed creepers.
Three weeks and three days from the owl’s visit,
The boy tried to turn on the light, but it was burnt out!
His mind instantly filled with fear,
It filled with worries and doubt.
Then just before the scary things
Started creeping in his mind.
He made a decision to think brave thoughts.
He thought of things that were happy and kind.
The thought of Wisdom the Owl flying,
Swept into his brain.
He also thought of his birthday party,
And playing in puddles in the rain.
Suddenly he felt the same peace in his heart
That he’d felt when the camping light was bright.
And perched up on the tree outside,
Wisdom the Owl shared his insight.
“See little boy,”
The owl said with a grin.
“The good thoughts were always there for you,
You just have to let the light in.”
From that moment on,
The little boy wasn’t scared at all.
Because he knew the darkness was no match
For the light that shines within us all