Once there was a boy who possessed a most precious gift. It had been given to him on the day he was born which was longer ago than he could remember and, since no one quite knew what to make of it, the gift became forgotten for a time.
One day the boy’s mother announced that it was high time the boy learned to pick up his own things. She marched him down the hallway, planted him squarely in the middle of his room, and warned him that he’d best not escape until the job was finished.
All day the boy cleaned. He cleaned and cleaned until he came across a most peculiar box hidden under the upper left corner of his bed. Although it was a rather long stretch, the boy managed to wrap his fingers around the box and carefully slide it out for a better look.
It was a rather odd sort of thing with strange markings and a lid that seemed to be more for keeping things out than for keeping them in. Perplexed, the boy studied the box until he felt his mother's foot tapping impatiently from behind. Knowing he had better get back to work, the boy reached both hands high into the air and positioned the box firmly on a rather overcrowded bookshelf. It was clear the box would have to wait.
Years passed and the boy grew older. Sometimes, when he had nothing better to do, the boy would catch sight of the box and take it down for a closer look. As he did, the boy began to notice that there was something about the gift that made him happy. Although the lid was fastened much too tightly for his clumsy hands to open, he loved to hold the box and imagine what was inside. As time went by, the boy found himself looking for it whenever something particularly unpleasant happened.
For the most part the boy kept the gift well hidden. He wasn’t sure if anyone would understand why it made him feel the way it did. But there was something deep within the boy's heart that made him want to share the gift. He even found himself leaving it out from time to time just in case someone should happen by. Those who saw the box often commented on its curious markings; but no one seemed to take the time to look at it carefully. And so the boy began to wonder if the gift might be just another worthless trinket, like his mother's tangled mass of costume jewelry that seemed to fascinate his younger sister. Perhaps the gift was the same kind of thing: a curiosity, a diversion.
One night an old woman knocked at his door. She had heard about the box from a friend. A collector of sorts, she asked if the boy would consider letting her take a closer look. The boy studied the woman carefully for several minutes before deciding to go and get the box. When he returned he offered it silently to the weathered hands of the old woman. After what seemed an eternity, the old woman looked up and, staring directly into the boy's two most anxious eyes, asked something no one had ever asked before.
"May I possibly look inside?" she inquired.
The question startled the boy. Part of him wondered if its contents could possibly be as wonderful as his imagination had made them. He feared disappointment and didn't know if he wanted to take that risk. But he also knew how long he had been waiting for such a time as this. Perhaps she could help him open the box and understand the value of what he had been given. With a nod of his head the boy agreed.
The woman placed a hand over the boy’s fingers and gently helped him release the lid. As she did, a white light that had been hidden for a very long time filled the doorway and spilled out into the darkness of the night sky. It was then that the boy saw something he had never seen before. Straightening his shoulders, the boy leaned over and looked inside the box, studying its contents with quiet intensity. As he did a warm light reflected in his eyes like fire.
At last the old woman broke the silence.
“This is indeed a rare gift,” she whispered.
The boy looked up, a bit startled. He had forgotten that he was not alone.
“It is,” he nodded softly.
He was glad she had come to see the box. The old woman looked deep into the boy’s eyes and smiled knowingly. Somewhere a streetlight flickered in the distance.
Sensing it was time to go, the old woman stepped out of the doorway and into the darkness. As she neared the pavement, the voice of a young child caught her from behind. Startled, she turned and looked back into the doorway. There, surrounded by a most glorious light, stood the boy, the gift, and a very young girl reaching high on tiptoes. The boy lowered the box and the little wide-eyed girl looked inside. As he did, a warm smile broke across the old woman’s face.
"That will do," she nodded as she turned quietly and walked toward the distant light.
Yes, that will do.
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