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In a quiet backyard at night, Lilia peers through a telescope toward the dark sky, concern on her face. High above, Tiny appears as a faint star with a sad little face among larger sparkling stars.
High in the night sky lived Tiny, a small star with a sweet face. She watched the big stars sparkle brightly while her own light flickered weakly. "Why can't I shine like them?" she whispered sadly. Every night, Tiny tried harder, but her glow stayed dim. She felt invisible among the brilliant stars around her. Down below, a girl named Lilia gazed at the sky through her telescope. "There's a little star that looks sad," she said softly.
On the shingled rooftop under a clear midnight sky, Lilia kneels and points her flashlight upward, its beam blinking three times. Tiny, hovering overhead, blinks back happily, her small face glowing in the gentle starlight.
Lilia climbed onto her roof with a flashlight. She pointed it toward Tiny and blinked three times. Tiny gasped. "Someone sees me!" The little star blinked back excitedly. Lilia smiled and called out, "Hello, little star! I notice you every night!" Tiny's face glowed warmer. "You do?" she replied in a tiny voice that traveled down. "Yes! You're special," Lilia said. For the first time, Tiny felt something wonderful stir inside her heart.
Still on the moonlit rooftop, Lilia raises her flashlight beside her face, smiling encouragingly. Above, Tiny listens, her tiny glow reflecting in the dark sky while surrounding stars twinkle, illustrating the promise of greater brightness.
"Why don't you shine brighter?" Lilia asked gently. Tiny sighed. "I'm too small. I'm not like the big stars." Lilia shook her head. "Being small doesn't mean being less! You have light inside you." She held up her flashlight. "See? My little light helps me see in the dark. Size doesn't matter." Tiny thought about this. Maybe Lilia was right. "Will you try with me?" Lilia asked. Tiny nodded. "I'll try!" she said bravely.
From the rooftop bathed in pre-dawn blue, Lilia stands with arms raised, cheering toward the heavens. In the high sky, Tiny now shines brilliantly, her radiant golden light outshining nearby stars and illuminating the girl's delighted face.
Tiny closed her eyes and thought about Lilia's kindness. She thought about being noticed and valued. Warmth filled her from the inside. Slowly, her light grew stronger and stronger. She opened her eyes and gasped. "I'm shining!" she cried joyfully. Her brilliant glow lit up the night sky. Below, Lilia cheered and waved. "You did it, Tiny!" From that night on, Tiny shone proudly, knowing her light came from believing in herself.