The Selfish Sunbeam
High above the world, in the golden kingdom of the sky, lived a bright and eager sunbeam named Samson. He loved shining down upon the earth, but he did not want to waste his light on just anything.
“I will shine only on the tallest and grandest tree,” he declared. “The one that reaches the highest deserves my warmth the most!”
And so, Samson cast all his golden rays onto the tallest tree in the forest, a mighty giant whose branches stretched toward the heavens. The smaller plants, the shrubs, and the young saplings were left in the shadows.
Days passed, then weeks. The tallest tree basked in Samson’s light, but something strange began to happen. It started to wilt. Its leaves curled, its bark cracked, and its roots struggled to drink from the dry earth.
“Why is this happening?” Samson cried. “I gave you all my warmth!”
But then, the wind whispered its wisdom:
“You forgot, little sunbeam, that the forest is not just one tree. The roots of the great and small are intertwined. Without the shade of the smaller plants, the earth dries. Without the undergrowth, the soil weakens. The tallest tree stands strong only because the forest stands with it.”
Samson looked around and finally saw the truth that the once-green forest was struggling. The small plants, deprived of his light, had withered, and now, even the mighty tree was suffering.
Realizing his mistake, Samson spread his rays wide, sharing his warmth with every plant, great and small. The earth softened, the forest thrived, and the tallest tree stood proud once more—not because it had taken all the light, but because it belonged to something greater than itself.
From that day on, Samson never shone for just one. He embraced the whole forest, knowing that sharing his light made everything, and even himself, stronger.