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Art by Carolyn J. Braden, Media: Sakura Gelly Roll pens, Sharpie marker and BIC pencil
Story written by Carolyn J. Braden, 12/5/2018
There once was a little girl named Starlight. Her mother named her Starlight in the hopes she would go onto light up the world.
Unfortunately, from the moment Starlight started talking, everything that came out of her mouth was negative.
“Oh, my shoe is untied. My shoe always comes untied. It’s an awful shoe!” she said.
“Now Starlight.” said her mother. “It’s not the shoe’s fault. You probably didn’t tie it tight enough.”
“Humph!” shrugged Starlight.
“Starlight…” began her Mother, “Please start being more positive. If you don’t, you may wake up one day and not be able to speak.”
“Well, everything bad always happens to me, so I can’t help it.” said Starlight.
Starlight carried on with her negative day, saying negative things and went to bed in a negative mood.
The next morning, Starlight woke up earlier than usual because the light from the sun peered at her through an open place in the curtain. Just as she opened her mouth to complain and say something negative, the only word she could mutter was “Blah.”
“Blah, Blah, Blahhh!” she exclaimed.
She yelled. “Blah” only came out.
She whispered. “Blah” only came out.
She cried. “Blah” only came out.
Her mother heard her crying and ran to her room. “What’s wrong Starlight?” she asked.
“Blah, blah, blah!” Starlight cried.
“Oh Starlight.” said her mother, calmly. “All I hear is ‘blah, blah, blah’.”
Starlight could understand her mother, but was very frustrated her mother couldn’t understand her. Starlight ran to her desk, grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper and tried to write words for her mother to read, but all she could write was ‘blah, blah, blah”.
“Well, Starlight. I’m sure this has something to do with all that negativity I told you about. I guess you’ll just have to not talk for a while. I’m sure your words will come back soon.”
Starlight wiped a tear from her eye as her mother left her room. Not talking was going to be hard for Starlight. She pulled herself together, got dressed and went outside to play.
As soon as she stepped outside the door, a bird flew by and pooped on her head. “Blah, blah blah!” she yelled in anger, but alas, no one could understand her.
She decided to swing and just be silent for a bit. As she began to swing, the sun went behind the clouds and it started raining. “Blah, blah, blah!” shouted Starlight at the sky, but the complaint went undetermined by nature.
Starlight stomped her feet and went inside to watch television. The sky poured rain and the thunder and lightning grew louder and louder until the electricity in her home went out. This scared her, yet she decided to stay calm and not speak.
“Starlight, are you okay?” asked her mother.
“Blah.” answered Starlight calmly.
“Okay. I’m sure the power will be back on soon. Here’s a flashlight. Why don’t you use it to read for a bit.” Starlight took the flashlight to her room and found her favorite book.
She quietly read for hours until she finished the book. Then, she found another one and read it cover to cover too.
She then got out her art supplies and started drawing until she had filled almost every page of her sketchbook.
Her mother peered inside her room “Are you doing okay?” she asked. Starlight held up her sketchbook to show her mother what she had worked on. “You did all these?” her mother asked.
Starlight nodded her head.
“Maybe you should enter them in the school art contest you told me about. Remember, the one that you said you wanted to enter, but swore you’d lose because your art wasn’t good enough?”
Starlight nodded her head.
She remembered the exact one her mother was talking about. She remembered saying she thought she would lose, but it actually wasn’t because she didn’t think her art wasn’t good enough. It was because she thought everyone else’s would be better.
“I think your drawings are amazing. I really think you should enter.” encouraged her mother.
Starlight felt a warm feeling take over her and she smiled.
At that exact moment, the electricity came back on.
“Well, look at that! Yay!” her mother exclaimed. “I’ll get started on dinner. Keep working on your art and I’ll call for you when it’s ready.
Starlight nodded her head.
Not talking was one of the hardest things Starlight had ever done, but as she sat and continued drawing, her art got better and better and she felt better and better.
As the night continued, Starlight ate dinner, but continued to work on her art until the sun went down and the stars appeared in the sky.
“Starlight,” her mother peeked inside her room, “it’s time for bed. I have your backpack ready for school tomorrow. Make sure to pick out some drawings to enter into the contest.”
“Okay.” replied Starlight.
“Starlight! Your voice! It’s back!” exclaimed her mother, as she ran to hug Starlight.
Starlight hugged her mother and quietly said “I love you”.
“I love you too, Starlight.” said her mother.
Starlight put a few finishing touches on some of her art pieces, picked out her favorites, and went to bed.
At school the next day, she entered her drawings in the school art contest. She wasn’t worried at all throughout the day because she knew that even if she didn’t win, she got her voice back and it was full of joy, love, and light. And that made her the happiest she had been in a long time.
Later on that day, the contest winners were announced and Starlight was one of them. Actually, two of her drawings won.
Her winning drawings:
Art by Carolyn J. Braden
Art by Carolyn J. Braden