The I Pearl: A story for children

The precious gift of the I PEARL One day, Nilla sat in front of the mirror and looked at her face. The nose with the freckles, the green-brown eyes, the big mouth that could crack into the "world's longest smile" and the hair, which for the day were braided in two red braids.

To think so amazing that all people are different, she thought and that no one, no one in the whole world is exactly the same as me!

"Nilla, come here for a while!"

Mom was the one calling her. Mom stood in the hall in front of the mirror and tried on clothes. She and Daddy were going to party tonight . On the floor was a large pile of clothes she had already tried on.

"What dress do you think I should wear, this red one I'm wearing, or this one?" Mom held up a green dress with long sleeves with frills at the bottom.

"They are both fine," said Nilla.

"Ugh I don't think I have anything to wear that fits," said mom. "I can't make up my mind. Maybe I shouldn't go after all."

"But, it doesn't matter," said Nilla. "You're beautiful just because you're you."

Then mom became completely still and just looked at Nilla for a while, then she said: "What a wise daughter I have. We will close our eyes and choose something from what is on the floor." So they both closed their eyes and picked up each piece of clothing from the floor.

First Nilla had to choose, then mom. It became a blue sweater, which Nilla and Alvin gave mom for Christmas a few years ago, and a pair of red pants, and then Nilla found a green shawl when she opened her eyes again, which she thought mom should have around her neck.

"Now I know what to give away as a gift," mom said whimsically, "I'll be right back."

Nilla could hear Mom rattling paper and cutting and tidying in the adjoining room, and soon she was back with a package. It looked like a shoe box wrapped in colorful gift paper, with an equally colorful lid that could be opened.

"You're welcome to have a look," said mom. "This is a very special package to anyone who wants to open it. It holds the most precious thing that God has created and loved by God most in the whole world."

Nilla gently opened the colorful lid and curiously looked down at the package. At the bottom was a mirror and in it she could see herself. Now she understood what Mom had meant and put the lid on again, so that more people could have a look at the package and get part of this precious gift!

[This story is excerpted from the book, Barn och Frälsarkransen (Children and the Pearls of Life)]