Celeste was a little cloud, and she loved colors. Not just seeing them, but *having* them. She collected every shade she could find – rosy pink from the sunrise, sunny yellow from dandelions, and ocean blue from the waves. She kept them all tucked inside herself, swirling and sparkling.
One afternoon, a gentle rain shower passed through the meadow. When the sun peeked out again, all the flowers looked sad and washed out. Old Man Tiber, the wise oak tree, sighed. “Oh dear,” he rumbled, “Everything looks so…gray.”
Celeste wanted to help, but she hesitated. Sharing her colors felt…difficult. What if she ran out? What if the other clouds wanted some too? She peeked down and saw a little girl named Lily looking up at the sky, wishing for a rainbow.
Lily’s wish gave Celeste an idea. She remembered her grandmother cloud saying, “Colors are meant to be shared, little one. They grow brighter when they’re given away.” Taking a deep breath, Celeste began to let go. First, a tiny streak of red, then a splash of orange, a burst of yellow, a glimmer of green, a wave of blue, and finally, a touch of indigo and violet.
As each color floated out of Celeste, it didn’t disappear! Instead, it stretched across the sky, joining with the other colors to form a magnificent rainbow. Lily gasped with delight, pointing and giggling. Old Man Tiber chuckled, his leaves rustling happily.
Celeste felt a warmth spread through her, a feeling much brighter than any color she’d ever held inside. She wasn’t empty; she felt *full* – full of joy! Other little clouds, seeing Celeste’s rainbow, began to share their colors too, creating even more beautiful arcs across the sky.
A friendly cloud named Nimbus floated beside Celeste. “That was amazing!” he said. “You made everyone so happy.” Celeste smiled. “It’s much more fun to share,” she admitted. “And the rainbow is so much brighter when we all work together.”
As the sun began to set, the rainbow slowly faded, leaving behind a sky painted with soft pinks and purples. Celeste snuggled close to Nimbus, feeling peaceful and content. She learned that day that the greatest treasures aren’t the ones you keep, but the ones you share. And as Lily drifted off to sleep, she dreamed of colorful rainbows and kind little clouds.
Now close your eyes, little one, and dream sweet dreams of rainbows and sharing. Remember, just like Celeste, you have a beautiful light inside you, and it shines brightest when you share it with the world.