Walking in the Sky

Once there was a little girl named Polly who lived on the prairie. She was the only seven-year-old in her whole village and the only child in her family. Polly had no brothers or sisters, and she had no friends to play with. She was very lonely. She didn’t feel like she belonged with the younger children or the older children. She wasn’t part of any group. Polly was alone, which made her feel very small. How dearly she wanted a friend, and how she ached to belong. One cold winter evening, Polly went walking out on the snowbanks near her home. How she loved the sound of the snow squeaking under her feet and the crackling and swooshing of the northern lights as they danced above her. Every time she sat under the stars, she felt different—less lonely somehow. How she loved the stars and the way they twinkled at her. How she loved the sky that seemed to go on forever. Polly walked along the snowbanks, wishing she had a friend while talking to the stars. Suddenly she heard a small voice. “Over here. Over here. I’m here.” Polly looked around. She couldn’t see anything. “No, down here. Look. See me.” Polly looked down. She couldn’t believe her eyes! There, by her feet, a white, sparkly little snowflake was hopping up and down. “Be careful. Don’t step on me,” the snowflake squeaked. “Oh, I won’t,” replied Polly. “I promise.” “What is your name?” Polly asked. “I’m Sparkle,” said the little snowflake. “I fell from the sky last night so I could come and see you, Polly. I would like to be your friend!” Finally, a friend! Polly was very happy to hear this, and she smiled to show it. But then Sparkle went on. “If it snows tomorrow, I will have to settle into the snowbank with my family, so I am very glad to see you tonight.” “Don’t you just love how the snowflakes pile up into snowdrifts and snowbanks?”