247: WITH THE HOPE ARIEL’S POV the show, the magician approached us and handed Janice a small, glittering wand. Here you go, little one. This special wand will make all your wishes come true.” Janice’s eyes lit up with excitement as she held onto the wand tightly. “Thank you so much, Mr. Magician!” He winked at her and turned to us. “And for you, my dear parents, a little bit of magic as well.” He snapped his fingers, and suddenly a bouquet of flowers appeared in Luke’s hand. We all gasped in amazement, and Janice squealed with delight. “Wow, how did you do that?” The magician chuckled. “It’s all just a little bit of magic, my dear.” My eyes were still wide with surprise. “That was….” “Amazing? Sensational? Remarkable? Monumental?” The magician spoke, moving his hands dramatically in the air. “But seriously, man, how did you do that?” Luke asked. “I’ve told you already; it’s magic. And you need to have love. “The love?” “Yes, love is a powerful emotion that has the ability to bring people together, heal wounds, and create happiness. It’s often described as a feeling that cannot be explained, a force that is beyond our understanding.” Luke and I looked at each other. The magician continued dramatically,” Love is magic in the sense that it has the ability to transform us and make us better versions of ourselves. It can make us do things we never thought possible and see the world in a different light. Love can make us feel invincible as if we can conquer any challenge that comes our way. It is a force that can transcend time and distance and bring people together regardless of barriers. Love is something that cannot be seen or touched, but its effects are undeniable. It is a magical force that has the power to change our lives in unimaginable ways.” “Yeah, you’re definitely right about that,” Luke said, giving me a knowing look. I chuckled, shaking my head. Was “You see when I first embarked on the journey of becoming a magician, I was filled with excitement and passion. But as I delved deeper into the world of magic, I also encountered numerous challenges and setbacks. I struggled to perfect my tricks and often felt discouraged by the lack of progress. There were moments when I wanted to give up and pursue a different career path. But just when about to throw in the towel, hope came in the form of a mentor who believed in me and my abilities. With its guidance and encouragement, I was able to push through the difficult times and continue chasing my dream. That glimmer of hope changed everything for me and reignited my passion for magic. Today, I am grateful for that moment of hope that kept me going and ultimately led me to where I am today.” “Wow, that’s actually a nice thing to talk about.” “So, you see, everything in life is about hope. Whatever you think of doing, do it. Put all the doubts aside. Hope, my friend, is just so wonderful.” “Thanks,” Luke said, patting his shoulder. “Your words are quite magical.” “Of course, magic.” He snapped his fingers, and immediately, smoke popped up in front of him. We had to cover our eyes, but we didn’t see him anymore when we opened them. “Well, that was great. But is it time we leave the park, don’t you think?” Luke set his eyes on me. “Sure, let’s leave.” “We’re going home now?” Janice asked, making a sad face. It seemed she wasn’t ready to put an end to the fun right now. “Well, not really. I still have a few places to take you.” “Yes!” “Come on now, let’s go,” Luke said, holding her hand. And as we left the park, Janice was still talking about the magician and his tricks. She waved her wand around, pretending to cast spells and make things appear. Walking out of the park, I could recall how Janice felt a little sad that our fun day was coming to an end. But Luke’s words about having a few more places to take us filled her with excitement again. And now she couldn’t wait to see where he would take us next. As we made our way down the street, Janice skipped and hopped beside me, still talking about the magician and his tricks. I couldn’t help but give her a warm smile. “Where are we going now, Lak Tasked, onions about our next destination. “We’re going to a candy store not too far from here,” he replied with a sinile. Janice’s eyes lit up at the mention of candy. “Yess! I love candy!” she exclaimed, bouncing up and down I laughed, shaking my head. “No doubt about that.” We soon arrived at the candy store, and Janice’s excitement only grew as she saw the colorful displays of candies and chocolates. Luke and I watched as she ran around the store, picking out her favorite treats. After we paid for the candy, Janice happily skipped out of the store, tightly holding her bag of goodies. But as she turned a corner, she accidentally bumped into a little boy who was walking by. The boy, who couldn’t have been older than six, stumbled back, and his lollipop fell to the ground. At that moment, he glared at Janice, “Watch where you’re going, you clumsy girl!” Janice’s face fell, and she looked close to tears. I stepped forward to defend her, but Janice spoke up before I could say anything. “I’m not clumsy; you’re just in my way!” She retorted, her hands on her hips. The boy’s face turned red with anger, and he clenched his fists. “How dare you talk to me like that? I’ll teach you a lesson!” Before things could escalate further, Luke intervened. “Hey, hey, calm down, kids. Fighting is not the solution.” The boy huffed and crossed his arms while Janice stuck her tongue out at him. Luke then turned to Janice and kneeled down to her level. “Janice, it’s not nice to talk back to someone, even if they’re being mean. And fighting is never the answer,” he explained gently. “Just look at who’s talking,” I muttered. Janice’s face fell, and she looked down at her feet. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I just didn’t. like the way he talked to me.” Luke smiled and ruffled her hair. “It’s okay kind, even to those who are not kind to you.” Janice. Just remember to always be I chuckled after that, causing him to glance at me. The little boy, who had been listening to their conversation, suddenly spoke up. I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean to be mean. I just got mad because I dropped my lollipop.” Luke smiled and patted the boy’s head. “It’s okay, buddy. Accidents happen. Here, let me buy you a new lollipop.” The boy’s face lit up, and he happily accepted Luke’s new lollipop. Janice and the boy then smiled at each other and started talking about their favorite candy. “That was really crazy, wasn’t it?” I whispered to Luke. “Yeah, if we hadn’t done something about it, your child would have a black eye right now.”
