Sophia and the Gold Stone

Happy Birthday Sophia
Here is a story I wrote just for you.
Sophia and the Gold Stone

By

Grandma Baadsgaard

            One day Sophia was digging in her back yard with a hand shovel when she uncovered a gold stone. She picked it up and rubbed her fingers over the smooth surface. Then she ran into the house and yelled for her mom.

            “I found gold!” Sophia said holding up the gone stone for her mother to see. We’re rich. Now you don’t have to worry about money anymore.”

            Sophia’s mother took the stone and turned it over in her hand several times.

            “I think this is just a rock that got painted with gold spray paint honey,” her mother said. “It’s pretty but definitely not our ticket to riches.”

            Sophia’s smile turned into a frown.

            “How do you know for sure Mom?” Sophia said. “Maybe you don’t know everything.”

            Sophia’s mother thought about what her daughter said as she watched her walk away looking deflated. Then she suddenly remembered the iron pyrite she found when she was just a little girl. All the adults in her life told her it wasn’t worth anything. Back then Sophia’s mother didn’t think adults knew everything so she’d saved that shiny piece of metal in her jewelry box just in case they were wrong.

            Sophia’s mother walked into her bedroom and opened her chest-of-drawers. There in the back corner was her old jewelry box. She lifted the lid and looked inside. The iron pyrite was still shiny after all these years. Sophia mother took a deep breath and sighed. Then she went looking for her daughter. She found Sophia sprawled on her bed with the gold stone clutched tightly in her fingers.

            “I might be wrong,” Sophia’s mother said. “Adults don’t know everything you know. Sometimes we need children to teach us.”

            “No, you’re right,” Sophia said. “It is just a spray painted rock.”

            “You never know,” her mother answered. “Maybe we both forgot about magic and miracles.”

            Sophia smiled and took another look at her gold stone.

            The next day was Sophia’s Irish dancing class. Sophia was always too nervous to dance by herself in front of the other children in her class. Then she had an idea. She grabbed her gold stone and tucked it in her dance bag.

            When she pulled up in front of the dance studio, Sophia was nervous and her hands were sweaty. She knew her teacher was going to ask her to perform her solo and she was scared. Sophia took her mother’s hand and they walked into the studio together. Sophia changed into her dance shoes. Then she reached down into her bag and rubbed her fingers on her gold stone, closed her eyes and thought these words in her mind.

 Gold stones are lucky if you rub them just so

Then the scareds fly away and you just start to glow

            “It’s your turn now,” Sophia dance teacher said.

            Sophia took a deep breath and stepped lightly into the middle of the dance floor. Then she gracefully raised her arms, pointed her toes and began. She had never danced with such confidence. All the children cheered.

            “Wow!” her teacher said when Sophia was finished. “What happened to you today?”

            “Just a little magic,” Sophia answered.

            After class Sophia walked out the door with a big smile on her face. She reached down into her bag and rubbed her fingers on the gold stone.

 Gold stones are lucky if you rub them just so

Then the scareds fly away and you just start to glow

             “Hey, I have to give a talk in church this Sunday,” Sophia mother said. “Think you could let me borrow that gold stone of yours?”

            “Sure,” Sophia answered. “You’ll be great Mom.”

Pin It