Luna's Lost Star
Written by Maxine Willoughby
Every evening, just before bedtime, Luna looked up at the little star hanging above her bed.
It wasn't a real star, of course. It was made from shiny paper and a little bit of glitter. Her grandmother had made it especially for her.
Whenever Luna smiled at the star, Grandma would gently place her hand over Luna’s heart and say,
"Just like the moon, your star shines down on you. You too have a special light within."
Luna love to hear those words.
They made bedtime feel warm and peaceful.
One sunny morning, Luna jumped out of bed and looked up... and gasped.
Her star was gone.
She searched under her pillow.
She searched beneath her blanket.
She searched inside her toy box.
She even looked inside her slippers.
No star.
"Oh no," whispered Luna.
"My star is gone."
After breakfast, Luna carried her little basket and decided to search outside.
Near the garden, she noticed a tiny bird hopping on the ground.
Its wing was tangled in a loose piece of string.
"Oh!" said Luna.
"Let me help you."
Very carefully, she untied the string until the little bird fluttered happily into the sky.
Still no star in sight.
Later, she found her neighbour Max trying to reach a book on a high shelf.
"Let me help," offered Luna.
Luna reached for the book.
“Thanks, Luna.” Max support her with both hands.
Still no star near or far.
That afternoon, Dad couldn't find the tiny screw that had fallen from his toolbox.
Luna knelt beside him.
"There it is!" she laughed, pointing beneath the workbench.
Dad smiled warmly.
Still no star from high or low.
As the sun began to set, Luna felt very sad.
She climbed into Grandma's lap.
"I looked everywhere," she sighed.
"I can’t find my star."
Grandma wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Tell me about your day."
So, Luna told her everything.
She told her about the little bird.
She told her about Max.
She told her about Dad.
Grandma listened.
Then she smiled.
"My sweet Luna..."
"Perhaps today your star wasn't meant to be found."
"What do you mean?"
Grandma gently touched Luna's heart.
"Today, your kindness became the star."
"You helped others."
"You made people smile."
"You gave hope."
"Your light never disappeared."
"It simply shone where it was needed."
That night, as Luna climbed into bed, she noticed something sparkling behind the curtain.
Her little star was on her windowsill.
Luna smiled.
She carefully hung it back above her bed.
But somehow...it didn't seem quite as important as before.
She already knew where her brightest star truly lived.
It had been shining inside her.
As the moon rose high into the night sky, Luna looked at her star.
She gently placed her hand over her heart and smiled.
Good night star, she thought feeling the gentle beat of her heart.
Luna knew her special light would always remain bright.
