Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Nia

It was one of those kindergarten days when a classmate was distributing the customary birthday goodies. This time, the goodies comprised of candies in assorted flavors, and of course, each student was allowed only one. The entire class had their eyes fixed on the chocolate candies, and Nia was among the few who got one. She was on cloud nine, but she also felt bad for her classmates who didn't get the chocolate candies. One of them named Ruth offered to exchange a pineapple candy with hers and Nia felt too charitable to refuse. She regretted it almost immediately. She was crestfallen and complained about it to her friends. She decided to ask for it back and Ruth said no. Nia was so disappointed that she didn't want to keep the pineapple candy either, so she returned it to Ruth. And then, she went home to her parents, teary-eyed and thinking how it wasn't fair that she didn't get to keep even one candy.

Twenty years later, nothing has changed, except that it isn't kindergarten anymore. Her loving heart is the chocolate candy, her self-respect the pineapple candy, and life, her classroom. And Nia still thinks that it isn't fair.

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