Flicker was a very little firefly, and sometimes he felt his light wasn't very bright. All the other fireflies in the meadow seemed to sparkle so much more! He worried his family wouldn't notice him.
One evening, Flicker’s mama and papa firefly took him and his little sister, Lumi, on a flight to visit Grandma and Grandpa Firefly. Lumi zipped and zoomed, her light flashing happily. Flicker tried to keep up, but his little light felt dim.
“Are you okay, Flicker?” Papa Firefly asked, noticing Flicker lagging behind. “Your light seems a little… quiet tonight.”
Flicker sighed. “I just wish my light was brighter like Lumi’s! Then you’d really *see* me.”
Mama Firefly gently bumped Flicker with her wing. “Oh, Flicker,” she said, “Your light is perfect just the way it is. It’s *your* light, and we love it very much.”
As they flew closer to Grandma and Grandpa Firefly’s cozy glow-worm house, they saw a whole family of fireflies gathered! Aunts, uncles, cousins – all twinkling and shining.
Grandma Firefly hugged Flicker tight. “Look around, dear,” she said. “Each firefly’s light is different. Some are bright, some are soft, some blink quickly, and some glow slowly. But together, all our lights make the meadow beautiful.”
Grandpa Firefly added, “And each light is special because it belongs to someone we love. Your light, Flicker, reminds me of a tiny star, full of sweetness.”
Flicker looked around at his family, all glowing together. He realized they weren’t looking for the brightest light; they were looking for *him*. He felt a warm glow inside, brighter than any sparkle.
He blinked his little light as brightly as he could, and Lumi zoomed over to bump lights with him. He wasn’t worried about being the brightest anymore. He was happy to be part of his bright, loving family.
That night, tucked into his glow-worm bed, Flicker knew his light was perfect, because it was a light filled with family love. And that was the brightest light of all.