The Book Holds the Key
Her hands smooth as rose petals glide over the pages of words once written to a lover, a secret lover. Her dainty hands slowly turn the heavy pages one by one drinking in the words that adorn each page. Beautifully written script flutter on the pages with fragrant words of love and admiration. Writing less meticulous but still blooming with emotion. a second writer, desperate to express his feelings of love, devotion and desire are sprinkled amongst the pages.
She cradles the black book to her chest as if the words written would melt into her heart. She felt lonely and heartbroken, withered. A delicate flower with a broken stem. She wanted to be a sunflower rising above others bright and cheerful, sunny. Instead she felt like a weed that grew from abandonment, pushed aside, overlooked, stomped on.
The black book she found in the walls of her new house a seed for inspiration. She was starting life new but her past held on to her tightly, a vine, taking all the nutrients for survival. The black book, hidden behind boards and nails rose and shined as if wanting to be found.
The love story that unfolded in the pages of the black book was water to her soul. She grew with each page, each word, each admiration and expression of love. This was a love story that blossomed and emerged over years and tribulations. She felt the love in the pages between these secret lovers. She cared for them, she rooted for them.
The story ends. What happens she does not know . She turns the page slowly not wanting the story to end. The last page is blank. There are no words, no finale. She had to conclude her own ending or beginning.
She slides her hand over the back cover as if to say thank you to the words. Her smooth hands feel the warmth of the love before her fingers feel an outline, a key. She carefully pulls back the corner and finds a red ribbon. She pulls ever so carefully as if avoiding thorns on a rose bush.
At the end of the ribbon, a treasure, in the form of a heart shaped key. She gazed upon its beauty and it spoke to her, she recognized the design. The key resembled the curio cabinet she had tried to open many times after moving in.
She placed the key into the lock and the glass doors opened. She felt as if the key unlocked her heart and it jumped with excitement. There she found a box with the letters AC carved in the wooden top. A single letter lay inside. “Find your love”. It was a substantial box for one letter but she took it out the cabinet to admire the crafty wood work.
The box fell on to the floor as if her hands were too delicate for the power of a tree that’s been carved. To her surprise money pore onto the floor as if the box sprung a leak.
At the final talley, the box presented her with twenty thousand dollars. She held the green in her hands and a warmth of sun glimmered on her face.
She looked upon the garden of green money and the note “Find your Love”. She wanted to find love, not in another person, but in herself. She was inspired to grow and blossom.
With a black notebook and a backpack the girl that once was a withered flower set off to find her adventure and nurture her soul. She was ready to fill the blank pages in her own book.
From one black book to another, find your story.
Written by
Christy Daniel
North Carolina
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“He Kept Going When No One Was Watching — And That Changed Everything”
No one ever noticed the days he almost gave up. There were no messages asking if he was okay. No one wondered why he became quieter. No one asked how much effort it took just to keep going. To the world, he was just another ordinary man. His name was Ayaan. Ayaan’s life didn’t collapse in one dramatic moment. It slowly faded. Missed opportunities. Rejected ideas. Silent disappointments. Every failure was small, but together they became heavy. He had dreams once. Big ones. Dreams that kept him awake at night, imagining a future where his hard work would finally matter. But over time, those dreams began to feel unrealistic—almost embarrassing. People around him seemed to move forward effortlessly. They celebrated promotions, achievements, and milestones. Ayaan watched from the side, smiling politely while feeling invisible. At work, his efforts were ignored. Among friends, his voice faded. At home, expectations weighed heavily on him. Slowly, a dangerous thought settled into his mind: “Maybe I’m not good enough.” That thought followed him everywhere. It followed him on crowded buses. It followed him into sleepless nights. It followed him every time he tried again and failed. One night, after scrolling through endless success stories online, Ayaan closed his phone and stared at the dark ceiling. His chest felt tight, not because of pain—but because of exhaustion. He whispered quietly, “How long do I keep trying?” There was no answer. But that night, Ayaan made a decision—not a loud one, not a confident one. A tired decision. He decided to keep going, even if nothing changed. The next morning felt the same. The same routine. The same doubts. The same fear of wasting his life. But Ayaan showed up anyway. He worked when no one praised him. He studied when no one guided him. He practiced when no one believed in him. Some days, motivation disappeared completely. On those days, discipline took over. He reminded himself: “I don’t need applause. I need progress.” Weeks passed. Nothing dramatic happened. No sudden success. No recognition. No miracle. But something subtle began to shift. Ayaan became calmer under pressure. He learned to sit with discomfort instead of running from it. He stopped comparing his journey to others. The silence that once scared him now became his training ground. Months later, a serious problem appeared at his workplace. It was complicated, risky, and easy to blame on someone else. Most people avoided it. Some pretended it wasn’t their responsibility. Ayaan didn’t announce himself. He didn’t seek attention. He simply started working. Late nights. Mistakes. Corrections. Learning. There were moments he wanted to quit. Moments when fear whispered, “You’re not ready.” But he answered back, “I’ll learn.” Slowly, the problem began to disappear. Not perfectly—but steadily. People noticed, quietly. One afternoon, his manager called him into the office. Ayaan expected criticism. Instead, he heard a question that stunned him: “Where did you learn all this?” Ayaan paused. How could he explain years of silent effort? How could he explain working when no one cared? He simply replied, “I kept going.” That moment didn’t change his life overnight. He didn’t become famous. He didn’t suddenly become successful. But it changed something far more important. His belief in himself. For the first time, Ayaan understood that life doesn’t always reward effort immediately. Sometimes, it watches. It watches who continues without praise. Who improves without recognition. Who grows in silence. Years later, Ayaan looked back at the version of himself who almost quit. The man who felt invisible. The man who thought no one was watching. And he smiled. Because he finally understood the truth: Life was always watching. Not to judge. Not to rush. But to see if he would keep going when it was hardest. The world doesn’t reward those who only work when they’re seen. It rewards those who build strength in silence. And sometimes, the moment that changes everything doesn’t come with applause. It comes quietly. After patience. After effort. After consistency. That is when everything finally begins to change. Final Message Keep going—even when no one is watching. Especially then.
By Inayat khan6 days ago in Motivation
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