Solita and the Power of Sunshine

The Girl Who Brought Light

Solita lived in a small village by a river, next to a mountain that was always covered in clouds. Everyone in the village seemed to live under a dark cloud too. Everyone, that is, except Solita. Her heart was bright and sunny, but no matter what she did, she could never please her mother.

One day, Solita made eggs, sunny side up, of course, but she dirtied a pan. She did her best to clean it, but no matter how many times she tried, it was never good enough for her mother's inspection.

"Do it again," her mother demanded. "You don't know how to clean a pan. What is wrong with you?" she scolded.

Exhausted, Solita went to her grandmother's bed, looking for some comfort.

"Get off my bed," her grandmother demanded. "You are wrinkling my sheets."

Solita didn't know what to do. No matter where she turned, she seemed to cause problems. Feeling very sad, Solita decided to go for a walk in the forest.

There, she noticed some beautiful yellow wildflowers growing under the pine trees. The tiny little flowers seemed to smile at her.

"May I pick one of you and bring you home?" she asked out loud.

The flowers seemed to nod.

"Yes, of course, you can. We would be happy to come with you," they seemed to say as a gentle breeze passed through them.

So Solita picked a few of the brightest and yellowest flowers of them all.

On her way home, she saw an old woman in a wheelchair by the river. It was Charlotte Marentette. Charlotte had lost her husband some years ago and looked lonely.

Solita approached Mrs. Marentette. "I have a gift for you today."

"A gift for me? Why?" asked Mrs. Marentette.

"Because I appreciate you. Because you are a good neighbor," answered Solita as she gave Mrs. Marentette a beautiful yellow wildflower.

Immediately, Mrs. Marentette's eyes brightened. Her lips turned, perhaps for the first time in years, into a smile. A tear came to the corner of her eye.

"Thank you, Solita. Thank you so very much."

"You are welcome," answered Solita.

She continued on her way until she met the police sergeant, who was sitting on a bench with his face in his hands. He looked sad.

"What is it, Sergeant? Are you okay?"

"My wife is upset because I have to work so much. I just want to make our village safe for everybody."

Solita smiled. "I have a gift for you. Actually, I have two gifts for you. Here is one flower for you. And here is another flower for your wife. Please give it to her as a gift from yourself."

The sergeant's eyes brightened.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Because I appreciate you," answered Solita. "Because you are a good neighbor."

The sergeant sprang up from the bench. There was a spark in his stride as he quickly ran home, little yellow wildflowers in hand.

Just then, Solita had an idea—a very bright idea. She marched back to the forest. She called out to her friends who lived in the neighborhood.

"Come join me. I have an idea."

"What are you talking about?" asked her friends as they followed her into the forest.

"Here," Solita said. "Look at these beautiful wildflowers. Pick them into a bundle and follow me."

Solita and her friends walked back into the village, which was still covered in clouds. One by one, they handed the villagers bright little yellow wildflowers. One by one, the villagers broke into big, happy smiles. One by one, Solita and her friends made their way around the shops and houses of the town.

Suddenly, after all the wildflowers had been handed out, the clouds over the mountain shifted, and rays of sunshine began to sparkle across the river and atop the roofs of the houses and shops of the village.

The villagers became brighter, more filled with life. They began to dance, to laugh, to smile, and even to sing in the streets. The sergeant took his wife by the hand to dance.

Mrs. Marentette came to Solita with a dish filled with cookies.

"I have a gift for you, Solita."

"Why?" asked Solita.

"Because I appreciate you. Because you are a good neighbor," replied Mrs. Marentette.

Solita brought a little sunshine into the hearts of her village. The neighbors shared that sunshine with each other. The whole village became brighter. The whole world became a little brighter too.

A story by Pemba Umoja