Sticky – The Ice cream Stick

A Strawberry ice cream stick went out for a walk on a sunny day. Due to heat, the ice cream melted away and only the stick remained under the sun. The stick started crying “Oh It was all my fault to go out on this hot sunny day. Look at me now! All my pink ice cream melted and I am left alone”. The stick cried, cried and cried for a very long time. He heard someone calling out.

“Hey! Hey! Buddy! Hey! Why are you crying?” asked a Twig which was hanging out of a big banyan tree.

The Popsicle Stick looked around and searched from where did the voice came. He looked up and saw the Twig smiling at him.

The Stick filled Twig up with what happened few minutes back. Twig slowly got off from the tree and came down to have a word with the Stick. Twig said “Don’t cry Buddy! I can understand that your ice cream melted and now you don’t know what to do? May be… I can help you”.

The Twig uttered “I have a friend whose name is Pencil. He lives in Paul Cadden’s pencil box. Let go and meet him”. Twig and Stick started walking to Paul’s home. When they reached, twig noiselessly called Pencil from Paul’s study window, “Pencil! Pencil! I need to talk to you. Come out!”

Pencil jumped out from the window. Twig and Pencil shook hands. Twig told about what happened to his new buddy, the Stick. Pencil cheerfully said “Stick, I was like you, just a piece of wood. I didn’t know what to do next. I was filled up by lead and now I can write or draw on a paper. You will soon find your way and purpose of your life too”.

But Stick was not happy and again started crying “Ahh...No…I am just a plain ice cream stick. My ice cream is melted and I cannot write or draw like you”. Twig bid bye to Pencil and took Stick to another friend.

Twig encouragingly said “I have another good friend. I want you to meet him. May be he could change your idea and show you the purpose of living”.  They both walked together.

Twig and Stick reached Da Vinci, the painter’s home. They both climbed through the tunnel and reached Da Vinci’s paint room. Twig and Stick saw many beautiful paintings. It was so colorful and the paint drops splattered on the floor. Twig silently called “Brushy! Are you in there?? Come out! A new friend has come to see you!”

Brushy leaped from the paint brush stand. He hugged Twig and asked “What’s the matter Friend?” Twig narrated about Stick to Brushy. Brushy said “Sticky, I am happy that you have come here. I was also a plain piece of wood just like you. Later I was loaded with soft and stiff hair and my life was changed. Now I can paint beautiful sceneries and portraits. Your life will also change!”

Stick sadly said “No, I am just a plain popsicle stick. My ice cream is gone. I cannot paint like Brushy…aaahhh …” He started to cry again. Brushy went back to the brush stand.

Twig and Stick walked back to the tree.  Twig said “Don’t say I can’t! I can’t! Instead say I can! I can! Your life will definitely change. Twig went back and stuck up to the tree.

Twig finally said “Can you see that bird house hanging on one of the tree’s branch?? There is a space to be filled in that bird house. If you wish, you can come and join the others. Now the decision is in your hands. Stick thought for a while and said “Yesssss….”

To their surprise, a yellow bird flew and lifted the Stick and put him on the bird house. Stick perfectly fitted the last open space. Now the bird house is complete.

Stick never forgot that one hot summer day and how his ice cream melted away. But he met Twig and made some new friends. Now he learned to say “I can” by starting a new life in the bird house.

MORAL: Some people arrive and make such a beautiful impact on your life. You can barely remember what life was like without them.