There was a girl who loved the sun. She loved the way it made her family happy. She loved that it made her friends smile and laugh. Everyone wanted to be around the sun, close to the sun, or brag about knowing the sun. And he deserved the praise. If there was any way he could make them happy the sun would do it. When someone was sad he made them laugh, when someone needed help he was the first to show up.
The group of friends would stay outside and play, laugh, sing, eat and drink until the sun went down and it was time to sleep. They were sad to see the sun go and woke up every day as soon as it returned.
Then one day the sun didn’t come back. The girl and her friends waited and waited, knowing it could only be a moment longer. But its light never returned. The friends were heartbroken realizing that something very wrong had happened. The sun would never leave them on purpose and certainly not without saying goodbye. It was so cold. They mourned the loss of their friend. They remembered the wonderful feelings the sun had given them. Joy, happiness, friendship, peace, warmth. It had filled their days with light and now they were lost.
Slowly the girl and her friends got used to their life without the sun. It wasn’t as bright, it wasn’t as cheerful but they learned that they could look to each other for joy and happiness. It was hard. They found ways to make each day beautiful again, in a different way. They spent time together, helped each other laugh, helped each other cry. Sometimes they didn’t say anything.
The girl laughed and cried with her friends but she felt confused. Her feelings didn’t make sense. She missed the sun so much but felt selfish in her grief because she knew her friends were mourning even more deeply. She couldn’t help but try to measure her friendship with the sun against the others. Her heart was blocked, and guilty.
Then one night she had a dream. She had a dream that she was allowed to say goodbye to the sun. She ran to him and hugged him tight. He was so happy. He smelled of trees, grass and warmth. She was so warm, her face lit up. The sun held her and laughed with her as they enjoyed being together. Then suddenly, the girl stopped. She was sad again as she realized she needed to let the sun go, so he could say goodbye to all the other friends. She held his hand and smiled. Go, she told him, the others will be desperate to see you. They loved you. They will always love you. I can’t wait for them to see you again and how happy they’ll be.
The sun smiled. He smiled so easily. We have time, he said. We loved each other. I will sit with you until you know that.
And they talked together, danced to his favorite songs, communicating how important their relationship had been just by sitting together without worry or fear of what would come next.
The girl and the sun held hands for a time, until time didn’t matter, until the girl had a warmth all her own.
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