As the night fell, the day bid its farewell and embarked on a voyage to distant lands. The night’s obscurity was illuminated by the stunning display of twinkling stars in the sky, while the refreshing gusts of wind rustled the leaves and a little girl’s gleeful laughter filled the surroundings.
There was, as usual, a pre-sleep bustle in the red-roofed house. Little Pınar was still not sleeping, and her parents insisted on putting her to sleep. The little girl was jumping from one top of the sofa to the other, making their hair stand on end. It was amazing that she had such energy even though it was this time of night.
“It’s long past bedtime, little lady. Now to bed!” said Pınar’s father, who unfortunately did not manage to be serious. Trying to be serious in front of this monument of cuteness was not easy at all. No matter what she does, she possesses the ability to either achieve her desired outcome or transmute any negativity in her surroundings into positivity in an instant. She had such a beautiful energy and joy.
Despite all the cuteness of his daughter, it seemed that this time her father would not give in to her. He put on the most serious facial expression possible and once again sent a warning to little Pınar. This time, he didn’t forget to add the following sentence that most parents use: “If you don’t sleep, you won’t grow!”
She needed to get some sleep, after all, she had school to go tomorrow. She was trying to learn the letters.
Although Pınar was full of energy and continued to spread joy around, she moved towards her room with her mother’s guidance. Her father’s words made her thoughtful, so her mother’s work became easier.
Once again, she looked out the window at the beauty of the stars and the cute cat walking along the street and got into bed. Her mother was just about to cover her up and leave when little Pınar couldn’t stand it and asked:
“Mom, why is it so important to grow up?”
This question surprised Pınar’s mother. She thought for a while, and answered: “Growing up is part of our life. Growing up helps us to achieve our goals. If we want to grow, we must fulfill many things, sleeping is one of them! That’s why it’s time to sleep now.”
However, Pınar asked one more question:
“What if I don’t want to grow up?”
That question really stumped her mother:
“Why, honey? Are you afraid that you won’t be able to misbehave when you grow up?” continued her mother humorously.
“No, I’m scared of being serious and living like a ghost!” she said. There really was a fear in her eyes that shone like night.
“How did you come up with that?”
“Everyone who is grown up seems to be very busy and sad. No one is really laughing or doing anything fun. They’re all like robots.” she muttered.
Her mother was surprised that her little daughter had such an idea, but in fact, Pınar was not wrong either.
“Why do you think that?”
“No matter which adult I look at, they are always serious. Even you, mum… You seem to have lost your joy sometimes. My dad is also very busy and tired. Even my teacher is very serious most of the time. He tries to look cheerful, but I can feel his real situation. And the baker… He tells us about his problems every time, and so does the grocer. You all look sad and tired. I don’t want to be like that. I want to be cheerful.”
After these words, Pınar’s mother realized that they were really caught up in the anxiety and bustle of life, and that they had forgotten their purposes, that they have made the world a goal, not a tool, and that they are striving to gain temporary things.
Her mother became lost in contemplation. Like many others, she had succumbed to the fleeting pleasures of this world and lost sight of its true purposes due to her concerns. She felt immensely fortunate to have a child who was a devoted gem, capable of illuminating this confusion. However, would she be able to break free from the mortal and deceptive facade of worldly life, make the most of this opportunity, and attain the eternal truths?
