Monty was a little monster, but not a scary one. He was fluffy and purple, with big, kind eyes. Monty had a secret: he glowed! Not a bright, flashy glow, but a soft, warm, comforting light that came from inside him. He loved his glow, and he didn’t like to share it with anyone.
All the other little monsters in Monster Meadow loved to play together. They played hide-and-seek amongst the glow-in-the-dark mushrooms and built towers of sparkly pebbles. But when it got dark, they wished Monty would come play too. His glow would make their games even more fun!
One evening, Luna, a little blue monster with pigtails, asked Monty, “Monty, will you come play with us? It’s getting dark, and your glow would be so helpful!” Monty shook his head. “No, thank you,” he mumbled. “My glow is *mine*. I don’t want to share it.”
Luna’s face fell. She and the other monsters tried to explain. “But Monty, sharing your glow would make everyone happy! We could see better, and play longer!” Monty just hugged himself tighter, trying to keep his glow all to himself. He watched them play from a distance, but he didn’t feel happy. He felt…lonely.
Old Man Grumbles, a wise, wrinkly monster with a long beard, noticed Monty sitting alone. He shuffled over and sat beside him. “What’s troubling you, little one?” he asked gently. Monty explained about his glow and how he didn’t want to share it.
Old Man Grumbles smiled. “A glow is a wonderful thing, Monty. But a glow shared is even brighter. When you share something special, it doesn’t make it less special for you. It makes it special for others, and that makes *you* feel special too.”
Monty thought about what Old Man Grumbles said. He looked at Luna and the other monsters, laughing and playing, but struggling to see in the dim light. He took a deep breath and walked towards them. “Okay,” he said softly. “I’ll share my glow.”
As Monty walked closer, his glow spread out, lighting up the whole meadow! The other monsters cheered. They could see everything clearly now, and their games became even more exciting. Monty felt a warmth spread through him, a warmth that wasn’t just his glow.
He was laughing and playing with his friends, and his glow seemed to shine even brighter than before. He realized Old Man Grumbles was right. Sharing his glow didn’t make it less special; it made it *more* special. It made him feel happy and connected to everyone around him.
From that day on, Monty always shared his glow. He learned that the best things in life aren’t the things you keep to yourself, but the things you share with others. And as he drifted off to sleep that night, Monty’s glow filled Monster Meadow with a warm, gentle light, a light of friendship and generosity.