Lily loved looking at the night sky. Every night, before bed, she would peek out her window, her face pressed against the cool glass.
Tonight, the sky was especially clear. Thousands of tiny, sparkling stars twinkled back at her. Lily gasped. They looked like a scattering of diamond dust sprinkled across a velvet cloth.
She pointed at her favorite star, a bright one that shone just a little brighter than the rest. 'That's my star,' she whispered to her stuffed bunny, Barnaby.
Barnaby, who had heard this many times before, simply blinked his button eyes. Lily giggled.
Suddenly, a tiny voice, as soft as a summer breeze, whispered from the sky, 'Hello, Lily.'
Lily jumped back, her heart thumping. She looked around, but there was nobody there. Then she looked back at the sky, and her bright star seemed to twinkle even more brightly.
‘It’s me, your star,’ the voice said, still as soft as a feather. ‘I heard you talking about me.’
Lily couldn’t believe her ears. A talking star! ‘You can talk?’ she squeaked.
‘Of course, I can talk,’ the star chuckled, a sound like tiny bells jingling. ‘But I only talk to those who appreciate the night sky and are grateful for all the wonderful things in their lives.’
Lily thought for a moment. She was grateful for her warm bed, her loving family, and her fluffy bunny, Barnaby. She was grateful for the delicious dinner she had eaten and for the fun she'd had playing outside earlier.
‘I am grateful!’ she said, her voice filled with happiness. ‘Thank you for all the good things in my life.’
The star shimmered, its light growing even brighter. ‘You’re very welcome, Lily. And to show my gratitude, I’ll help you have the sweetest dreams tonight.’
And it did. Lily snuggled into her bed, Barnaby nestled beside her. As she drifted off to sleep, she felt surrounded by warmth and love, and she dreamt the most wonderful dreams under her special, talking star.
The next morning, Lily woke up feeling refreshed and happy. She looked out the window, and even though the sun was shining, she could still see her bright star twinkling in the morning light, a reminder of her wonderful goodnight story and the importance of gratitude and appreciation for everything in her life.