When Mara’s world fell apart, she spent most evenings sitting by her window, staring into the dark. One night, her elderly neighbor noticed her light still on and brought over a small lantern — an old one, softened by time and use.
“This lantern saw me through my hardest winter,” her neighbor said. “Maybe it can help you through yours.”
Mara lit the lantern each evening, and though its glow was small, it was steady. Over time, she realized it wasn’t the lantern itself that comforted her — it was the reminder that someone believed she would make it through.
Sometimes the smallest kindness carries the greatest light.