Bethany and her small aired balloon
It was a sunny afternoon and the sky was dotted with cotton candy clouds. A light breeze rustled through the trees, carrying the scent of spring in its wake.
A young girl named Bethany skipped down the sidewalk, clutching a small light yellow balloon in her hand. She hadn't particularly asked for it; rather, she had found it tied to a lamppost near her house while walking to school that morning. Despite not knowing where this mysterious balloon came from or why it had been left there, Bethany couldn't help but be taken by its cheerful hue and vibrant energy.
Bethany continued on her way happily, never letting go of the balloon as she went about her day - to school, then back home again. Everywhere she went, people smiled at Bethany and the little yellow balloon trailing behind her. It made them feel happy; like something wonderful was possible if only you held on tight enough.
At one point during her walk home from school, Bethany even spotted a group of children playing tag in an open field nearby, with some of them pointing excitedly at the balloon as though it were an old friend who had come to join them for a game.
When Bethany finally arrived home at sunset, she ran straight up to her bedroom and placed the balloon on top of her dresser before collapsing into bed with a smile on her face. Though she still didn't know where it had come from or why it had chosen to follow her that day, having such an uplifting reminder right next to her made Bethany feel comforted and content - especially after such an otherwise ordinary day.
The small light yellow balloon remained perched atop Bethany's dresser for many weeks afterwards until one day when its time came up - releasing all its air and turning into nothing more than just another memory shared between this little girl and this small piece of sunshine-filled joy that once briefly followed along beside her.
