20 jars of light

The village of lost emotions

In the village of Shadowlake, emotions were considered dangerous. "Don't cry, don't laugh too loudly, don't show anger," the adults would always say. Because of this, every villager had a special jar where they trapped every emotion they felt. A smile too wide? Into the jar. A tear of sadness? The same fate. Over time, the streets of Shadowlake filled with silent people, their faces devoid of expression, their hearts beating faintly.

Emma, an eight-year-old girl, simply couldn't understand why everyone acted this way. She loved laughing with her friend Gabriel, but every time she did, her mother would scold her: "Do you want your jar to explode? Stop laughing like that!" But Emma couldn't stop. She didn't understand why feeling emotions was supposed to be wrong.

One day, while playing in the woods near the village, she found an old hollow tree. Inside was a jar unlike any other: it was made of colorful glass, and tiny lights danced inside it like fireflies. Emma took it home, curious. Back at the house, she hid the jar under her bed.

That night, while everyone was asleep, Emma heard a strange sound coming from the jar. She opened it, and suddenly, a warm light filled the room. From the light emerged a smiling figure: a woman dressed in vibrant colors, glowing with a soft, radiant aura.

"Who are you?" Emma asked.
"I am the echo of the emotions your village has forgotten," the figure replied. "Once, Shadowlake was filled with laughter and hugs, but the fear of pain led people to hide their feelings. I'm here to help you bring emotions back to the village."

Emma was incredulous. "But how can I do that? Everyone thinks emotions are dangerous."
"Show them," the figure said. "When you have the courage to open your heart, others will follow."

The next day, Emma decided to give it a try. During breakfast, she accidentally spilled her milk and started laughing so hard that her father looked at her in surprise. "Emma, stop it!" he said. But she didn't stop. And something strange happened: instead of getting angry, her father gave a small smile, almost without realizing it.

That evening, Emma took the magic jar to the village square, where all the villagers gathered. "Look!" she shouted. She opened the jar, and a warm light spread everywhere. Suddenly, people began to feel something they hadn't felt in years: a man laughed, a woman let a tear of joy fall, two children hugged each other. The jars holding their emotions began to crack and shatter one by one.

The village filled with life and color once again. From that day on, no one used the jars anymore, and Shadowlake became a place full of laughter, hugs, and heartfelt tears. Emma was happy to know that, thanks to her, emotions had finally come home.

Moral: Emotions are not a weakness; they are a strength that unites us all.