The Girl Who Hid Her Light

In a small Virginia town, nestled between chalkboards and playground swings, lived a fifth grader named Naomi. She was quiet, polite, and always sat in the third row. Her teachers knew she was bright—brilliant, even. But her test scores told a different story.

Naomi had learned to hide her intelligence.

She deliberately wrote wrong answers on math tests. She turned in homework late, or not at all. She pretended not to know the answers when called on. Her classmates laughed at her mistakes. Naomi longed to be accepted. Therefore, she dimmed her light to fit in.

Her parents noticed the shift. “You used to love reading,” her mother said gently. “You used to ask questions no one else thought to ask.”

Naomi shrugged. “It’s easier to be normal.”

One day, her teacher, Mrs. Ellison, handed back a science quiz. Naomi had scored a 42. But in the margins, Mrs. Ellison had written: “I know you know more than this. Let’s talk.”

After school, Naomi stayed behind. Mrs. Ellison didn’t scold her. She simply asked, “Why are you hiding?”

Naomi hesitated at first. Then, she confessed, “I don’t want to be the weird smart girl. I want friends. Therefore, I am hiding my brilliance to be accepted.”

Mrs. Ellison nodded. “I understand. But hiding your light won’t make you belong. It’ll make you disappear.”

She handed Naomi a book to read. It was Hidden Figures, the story of brilliant Black women who helped launch rockets into space. “They were quiet too,” she said. “But they changed the world, and Naomi, you can do your part to change the world also by letting your light shine instead of hiding it.”

Naomi accepted the challenge. When she began reading the book, she couldn't put it down. She read it in two days. Something stirred within her.

She began answering questions again. Not all the time—just enough to let her light flicker. She helped her classmates with their homework. She started a science club, inviting anyone curious enough to join.

Before long, Naomi’s light was shining again. Not blinding. Not boastful. Just steady. She was not ashamed to be smart.

Her classmates didn’t shun her. They admired her. And more importantly, she admired herself.

Years later, Naomi became a teacher. She kept a copy of Hidden Figures on her desk and told her students, “You don’t have to hide to belong. You belong because you’re here. And your light matters.”

Blessing for the Reader

May you never dim your light to fit in. May you remember that brilliance, when shared with humility, becomes a blessing. May you find the courage to be fully seen—and help others do the same. And may your story, like Naomi’s, become a safe place for someone else’s light to shine.

Author’s Note:

This story is fictional, but deeply personal. The girl's name in the story is Naomi. However, I was that fifth grader—and later, that adult—who hid her brilliance to be accepted. I’ve learned that shrinking doesn’t create belonging. It creates silence. Through teaching, writing, and ministry, I now help others reclaim their light.

Call to Action

If you are hiding your light to feel accepted, it’s time to reclaim it. Write your truth. Teach your truth. Your light was never meant to be buried. It was meant to bless.

More Short Stories to Read

The Boy They Called 'Odd'

The Man Who Dreamed About Butterflies

The Mirror That Refused to Reflect