Once upon a time, there was a girl named Stella, who disliked books. Her parents led extremely busy lives — her mother was a successful businesswoman and her father served in the military. Therefore, they were often out of the house, leaving Stella mostly alone with her maids.

Due to their prosperous lives, Stella’s parents believed that compelling her to study and providing her with a variety of books would lead her to success. Little did they know that their daughter needed more love, care, time and attention than the material things they provided her to spend time with. Until now, she had been home-schooled, so she had no idea how regular school worked and what it felt like to have friends.

They reduced her playtime, restricted her from all entertainment, and pressured her to study. Stella felt so sad and lonely. Her parents’ forceful nature made her hate books more than anything else and she wished to have kind parents or some friends who would like her for herself.

Soon it dawned upon Stella that her parents had decided to enrol Stella in school. She had no idea what a school was all about, so she cringed at the thought and feared entering the world made up of classrooms. She felt so lonely and wanted to express her thoughts to her parents, but didn’t find the courage.

On the first day of school, her father took her inside the school, and from there she was escorted by a maid to her classroom. Stella entered her classroom and observed that she was the first one to arrive. So, she sat on one of the front seats; a few moments later, the classroom started to get filled with other students, followed by the class teacher.

When everyone settled down, Miss Lily, asked the students to introduce themselves one by one. Once the introductions were over, Stella heard her name.

“Stella! Are you okay dear? Missing your parents?” Miss Lily asked.

Stella replied, “No, I am fine, Miss Lily.”

Miss Lily was not convinced and asked Stella to meet her before going home.

Stella observed the kids laughing and playing, she also wanted to be one of them, but she lacked the courage. Consequently, she remained seated in her chair and continued reading the chapters even during her free time.

The school day finally ended and Stella went to meet Miss Lily in the staffroom.

“Stella, I noticed that you were more silent in the class than other kids, do you have any problems?”

It was as if a dam full of words and emotions inside Stella broke down and she poured her heart out.

“Miss, I don’t want to study, I hate books, I just hate reading. I don’t want to come to school, too!” she said teary-eyed.

Miss Lily was an experienced teacher she knew why kids think this way. So she got up and took a small thin book from the bookshelf.

“You may find it weird that even after listening to your feelings I am asking you to read this book,” Miss Lily said while handing over the book.

“But I guarantee that reading this book will open new horizons for you and will change your thoughts for good; you will have new-found energy and, believe me, you won’t hate studying again,” said Miss Lily and handed the book to Stella, titled Friendship is Magic.

Stella went home without a smile on her face. After changing clothes and having lunch, she took the book and examined it thoroughly. It was in a very bad shape. Nevertheless, she opened the first page and started reading.

“There was once a very lonely girl. Her name was Ginny. She had very strict parents who never gave her time or listened to her....,” Stella was surprised and thought, “Am I reading about myself?” she got curious and started reading more.

“One day, Ginny was coming home from school, and she heard the painful whining of a kitten at a distance. She went in the direction and found an injured little kitten. She immediately decided to take it home with her. Days passed, and at home, Ginny continued to take care of the kitten by feeding, making her comfortable mat, etc.

“… Ginny continued her adventures with the kitten; their bond grew stronger. Ginny found a true friend in her furry companion, and their playful antics brought joy to her life.

“Slowly, Ginny’s parents began to notice that their daughter was happier with the kitten than them. They also noticed that Ginny discovered a loyal friend in her kitten; it was at this time that her parents realised the mistake of not paying enough attention to their daughter for companionship and support. Seeing the happiness that the little kitten brought to Ginny’s life, they understood the importance of being there for their daughter.”

The family now united and understood each other better, shared many happy moments …”

Stella continued reading the book until she finished because she could relate to the feeling of Ginny. Reading the book brought out a feeling of joy in her and also gave her the courage to see her life from a different perspective.

As Stella turned to the last page of the book, she realised the importance of talking to her parents. Inspired by Ginny’s story, Stella decided to share her thoughts with her parents that day, understanding that they were the closest and most supportive people in her life.

After the dinner, Stella told her parents that she needed to talk to them. Her parents looked at her intently. It was a courageous decision. She expressed not only her struggles with studies but also her longing for companionship, support and love. She explained that while studies were essential, she wanted to spend more time with her parents. Stella talked a lot.

They were surprised by how serious and honest she was. At that moment, her parents also understood they made a big mistake. They were so busy that they didn’t pay enough attention to Stella. In those sad moments, they also realised how wrong they were. They forgot about what Stella needed, because they were so caught up in their busy lives. They felt sorry and bad about not noticing the real needs of their daughter. They hugged her silently, as if apologising for their behaviour all this time.

The next day, Stella walked to school smiling, she was feeling all new, as if she had only been born that day.

“Miss Lily, I have read the book. Thank you for giving me hope and courage and strength to reach out to my parents. Because I found out that it was not the studies that I hated, but it was companionship, love and support that I longed for.” Stella said while giving the book back to Miss Lily.

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 6th, 2024