The Soul Box
by
Nike

Once upon a time, there lived a lovely young girl who loved to play out in the open where sunlight filled the sky and the Maya birds sang their concerts to the unknowing listener. One day , this young girl thought she could hide her soul. So, she kept a small wooden chest where she placed small things that represented her life. Some were bought in a store. Others were given to her as a gift. While some were found at the unexpected places and times. A small chest that others thought were filled with clutter and trash. But to the girl, they were worth more than any treasure found under the sea. They have to, for that small chest contained small memories of her life.
That small wooden chest contained her soul.
Time passed by.........
The young girl was no longer a lovely young girl. She got sick with an incurable disease. The medicines that her doctors gave her made her feel bloated and weak. No longer could she run out of the open for the doctors warned her that if she let sunlight touch her skin, her illness will worsen and she could lose her life. So the girl lost her golden tan color. She became so pale that her skin was almost transparent.
She started to hate everything she lost. She hated the sunlight because it became her enemy. She hated the world because she was exiled to a small dark corner. She hated life because it cheated her of her own. She hated hearing laughter because she was left alone.
Then one day as the girl was cleaning her room, she found a small dusty wooden chest hidden under her bed.
It was her soul box. The soul box that she had forgotten about for a long, long time. She opened it and crystal clear teardrops fell from her eyes as she remembered the happy memories that each item reminded her. They were the memories of the lovely young girl. They were pieces of her soul.
Then the girl realized that all was not lost. True, she may have lost an important part of her life, but she cannot lose the happy memories of her childhood too.
She realized that she couldn't lose her soul.
Now, the girl went on with her life. True, she cannot lead a normal life. She was still left out in a dark corner most of the time. But that doesn't matter anymore. It doesn't keep her from living. She knew that as long as that small wooden chest contained those happy memories, she will make it through. As long as she has her soul box, the girl won't lose her soul.
And I should know. I am that girl.