Whittaker and the Land of Shiny Sorrows
Once upon a time under a shimmering sunshine in the land of 'Shiny Sorrows', a secret unnoticed place hidden behind thick streams of rainbow was where our little hero, Whittaker lived.
Whittaker was a small, unusual creature. Neither a bear, nor a lion but, a 'Bearion'. A rare species bearing lion's courage and the bear’s strength. He was different but he was special. He had a heart like a colossal pearl shining with courage, kindness and wisdom. You might wonder why 'Shiny Sorrows'? Sorrow isn't shiny. The truth is, in the land of 'Shiny Sorrows', each new sorrow brought a shinier lesson and made its inhabitants stronger and wiser.
As the oldest saying of the land went, "Wisdom through sorrow brings light upon the morrow."
One day, Whittaker woke up to the sight of his beloved home going colourless. Alarmed at the sight, he rushed to the Wise Old Owl for guidance. "Oh, ancient old one! Our home is losing its colors. How can we bring them back?" The Old Owl, with his sad eyes, replied, "The Golden Flower of Joy atop the Mount Brilliance is the source of our colours. Its petals have been captured by Gloom, the evil sly fox. Only you, with your big heart, can retrieve it, for the journey is dangerous and full of sorrows, and it is only kindness, courage, and wisdom in heart that can turn the sorrows into shiny lessons and defeat Gloom."
With a heavy heart, but full of determination, Whittaker embarks on his journey. Mountains after mountains, forests after forests, rivers after rivers, he kept moving forward. He encountered many difficulties but he taught himself to see the little glimmers of lessons in the darkness of his sorrow and fear. Each sorrow brought more shine to his heart. The land of 'Shiny Sorrows' was indeed rightly named.
On his journey, he met a tiny, crying squirrel who had lost her way home. Whittaker could have easily moved forward, but he decided to help. “A heart filled with kindness shines brighter than any star”, he remembered old owl’s words. After hours of searching, they found her home. In gratitude, she gifted him a magical nut which could cure any wound, any sorrow.
While crossing a roaring river, Whittaker was faced with a crumbling bridge. He could either cross it and risk his life or find a new path which might delay his journey. “A sign of courage is not haste, but understanding and patience,” the old owl had said. With this in mind, he chose to create a new path. Creating a new path was risky but his perseverance paid off when he found a quicker way across the river. The co-incidence brought a smile to his face and shine to his heart.
Finally, he reached the Mount Brilliance where Gloom resided. Seeing Whittaker, Gloom laughed and said, “What would you, a tiny Bearion do? Go back to your shiny land.” Undaunted, Whittaker stood his ground and said, “Every creature who has kindness, courage and wisdom is capable of immense power. You have the petals but not the essence of the Golden Flower, the love and joy in the heart.”
"Oh Fox, you may have hidden the sunny petals of our Golden Flower, but you never had the power to capture its essence and light because joy lies not in things, but in the soul."
Touched by his wisdom and courage, Gloom saw the error of his ways. Realising that capturing joy only led to more sorrow and melancholy, he gave back the petals. As Whittaker held the petals, their golden colour returned, they were no longer a generic object but filled with joy and love, care and courage. The joy in Whittaker's heart was the true essence which rekindled the petals.
Returning to 'Shiny Sorrows', Whittaker saw his home transform into a burst of colours. The once colourless landscape was now sparkling with vibrant shades of joy and love. Whittaker had not only brought back the colours but also the lessons that sorrows can bring forth wisdom and shine. After all, each sorrow brought forth a shinier day and a stronger heart in 'Shiny Sorrows'. From that day forth, there was seldom any sorrow that didn't gleam of wisdom and courage and the tiny land became a beacon of hope and strength.
And thus ends our tale of Whittaker, the wise Bearion, and his land of ‘Shiny Sorrows’. His journey illustrates the power of kindness, courage, love, and wisdom to transform not only ourselves but also the world around us. A shiny lesson indeed for young and old alike.
So, the next time sorrow comes knocking, remember dear ones, like Whittaker, we all have the power to shine through!
