Once there was a man named Eli who lived in a small village that had seen better days. The land had been struck by drought, the crops had withered, and the wells were drying up. The villagers walked with heavy hearts, their eyes fixed on the ground, seeing only the cracks in the earth.
Eli, however, had once traveled far and saw many wonders of the world. But as the village fell into despair, he too found his spirits sinking. One evening, as the sun set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, he sat outside his humble home, feeling the weight of sorrow.
An old traveler, with eyes like clear skies and a beard as white as the first snow, approached him. This traveler, noticing Eli’s downcast gaze, sat beside him and said nothing for a time. Then, pointing towards the sunset, he spoke softly, “Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.”
Eli looked up, truly seeing the sunset for the first time in many days. “But what of our troubles?” Eli asked, the beauty of the moment clashing with his inner turmoil.
The traveler smiled, “Troubles are like storms; they pass. But beauty? Beauty persists in many forms, often where you least expect it. Here you are, worrying about the earth, yet above you spreads an endless canvas of art, ever-changing, never dying.”
Inspired, Eli began to notice other beauties around him: the laughter of children who found joy in the simplest games, the intricate patterns of leaves on the only tree that thrived, the stars that filled the night sky, and the kindness shared among the villagers despite their hardships.
He started pointing these out to others, and slowly, the village’s spirit lifted. They began to work together, finding new ways to gather water, planting different crops, and sharing what they had. They celebrated small victories with communal dinners under the starlit sky, turning their gatherings into moments of joy.
The village eventually thrived, not because their problems vanished overnight, but because they chose to focus on the beauty that remained. They learned to find happiness in what they had, not in what they had lost.
The traveler, who had long since moved on, left behind a village changed by his simple advice. Eli would often tell his story, ending with, “When you’re surrounded by darkness, look for the stars. There’s always beauty left if you’re willing to see it, and in that beauty, you’ll find your strength to be happy.”
