This story takes place in Ancient Rome.
The morning started off like any ordinary morning. The young boy began his daily
routine. He began washing his clothes in the nearby river, when he noticed something
peculiar. It was a clear stone, a small diamond most likely. The boy shoved it down his
pocket, thinking of the riches he and his family would gain when he sold this diamond.
As the boy ran home, the precious diamond fell out of his pocket. The boy picked it up
from the ground, and examined the stone, looking for any sign of damage. In the
process, he noticed the grass around his feet was greener, and his shoes seemed
newer. However, when the boy looked away from the diamond, all he saw was
yellowing grass and a pair of broken, worn-down shoes. He returned the stone to his
pocket and continued on his way home.
As the boy got home, he called for his mother, while father was working in the fields.
The young boy told his mother about the stone he had found. “Wonderful,” his mother
would say, as always.
The young boy was taken aback. Why hadn’t his mother been more enthusiastic? This
diamond was his most prized possession!
The boy continued doing his grueling tasks. He helped his father with the fields, his
mother with her cooking, and fed the chickens. After doing all this work, the boy was
looking forward to his favorite part of the day: watching the sunset with his parents.
He waited and waited for the sun to set. As the boy was waiting, he was carefully
inspecting the stone. The mysterious event from earlier popped up in the boy’s mind.
Had he imagined the green grass and new shoes? The boy gingerly picked up the
diamond and peered through the gleaming stone. Instantly, his room was larger, the
shelves were full of books, and on his straw bed, was a pile of coins. More coins than
even the emperor!
The boy reached for the coins but was interrupted by his parents. “The sun is setting,
come quick!” they yelled.
For the first time in his life, the boy felt like neglecting his parents. He ignored his
mother, fearing that replying would take him out of this fantasy. The gold coins were
glinting in the sunlight, and as the boy was reaching for it, almost touching it, everything
went back to normal. His room was back to what he was used to: a small space with
peeling paint, and a bed with no cash.
Disappointed, he went to watch the sunset with his parents. The boy, still interested in
the diamond, put the diamond to his eye, and he saw miracles. It was indescribable. He
lowered the stone to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating.
After countless days like the previous, the boy was finally able to make sense of what
he saw in the sunset. He saw riches, fame, glory, all far beyond that of the great Julius
Caesar.
The boy was tempted, but remembered his life on the farm, with his family. The boy
wondered, would he really be happy with all that fame and glory? Out of spite, he buried
the diamond deep underneath the rocks of the river, where he found the stone.
In the short span of a week, the boy had learned many lessons. The most important of
all was, no amount of riches or glory will replace one’s need for family. One’s family is
the backbone of their success.
Inspiration: The mirror of Erised, from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
The morning started off like any ordinary morning. The young boy began his daily
routine. He began washing his clothes in the nearby river, when he noticed something
peculiar. It was a clear stone, a small diamond most likely. The boy shoved it down his
pocket, thinking of the riches he and his family would gain when he sold this diamond.
As the boy ran home, the precious diamond fell out of his pocket. The boy picked it up
from the ground, and examined the stone, looking for any sign of damage. In the
process, he noticed the grass around his feet was greener, and his shoes seemed
newer. However, when the boy looked away from the diamond, all he saw was
yellowing grass and a pair of broken, worn-down shoes. He returned the stone to his
pocket and continued on his way home.
As the boy got home, he called for his mother, while father was working in the fields.
The young boy told his mother about the stone he had found. “Wonderful,” his mother
would say, as always.
The young boy was taken aback. Why hadn’t his mother been more enthusiastic? This
diamond was his most prized possession!
The boy continued doing his grueling tasks. He helped his father with the fields, his
mother with her cooking, and fed the chickens. After doing all this work, the boy was
looking forward to his favorite part of the day: watching the sunset with his parents.
He waited and waited for the sun to set. As the boy was waiting, he was carefully
inspecting the stone. The mysterious event from earlier popped up in the boy’s mind.
Had he imagined the green grass and new shoes? The boy gingerly picked up the
diamond and peered through the gleaming stone. Instantly, his room was larger, the
shelves were full of books, and on his straw bed, was a pile of coins. More coins than
even the emperor!
The boy reached for the coins but was interrupted by his parents. “The sun is setting,
come quick!” they yelled.
For the first time in his life, the boy felt like neglecting his parents. He ignored his
mother, fearing that replying would take him out of this fantasy. The gold coins were
glinting in the sunlight, and as the boy was reaching for it, almost touching it, everything
went back to normal. His room was back to what he was used to: a small space with
peeling paint, and a bed with no cash.
Disappointed, he went to watch the sunset with his parents. The boy, still interested in
the diamond, put the diamond to his eye, and he saw miracles. It was indescribable. He
lowered the stone to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating.
After countless days like the previous, the boy was finally able to make sense of what
he saw in the sunset. He saw riches, fame, glory, all far beyond that of the great Julius
Caesar.
The boy was tempted, but remembered his life on the farm, with his family. The boy
wondered, would he really be happy with all that fame and glory? Out of spite, he buried
the diamond deep underneath the rocks of the river, where he found the stone.
In the short span of a week, the boy had learned many lessons. The most important of
all was, no amount of riches or glory will replace one’s need for family. One’s family is
the backbone of their success.
Inspiration: The mirror of Erised, from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
