The Hidden Gem

Story

Arun was a small boy in class seven who often felt sad because he thought he wasn’t as special as other kids. He thought they were better at everything, and he didn’t feel good about himself.

One day, Arun and his family visited his grandfather, who lived in a nearby town. Arun was dull, unhappy, and quiet.

Seeing this, his grandfather took him to the backyard.  

Arun was surprised to see a small hut in the backyard. He asked, “What is this secret room, Daada ji?”

Daadaji smiled and simply took him inside the hut. There, Arun saw many small things, like an old clock, a photo frame, an ancient book, a strange-looking sword, an old telephone, and many more small things. 

On the table, Arun noticed a dull, gray stone. It didn’t look special at all.

“Why have you kept this plain rock?” Arun asked.

Dadaji smiled and said, “This isn’t just a rock. Inside, it hides a shiny gem. If you polish it carefully, you will see its beauty.”

Arun was curious, so he asked Dadaji if he could take the stone with him. Back home, every day, he worked on polishing it. At first, it looked the same, but slowly, the rough parts began to smooth out. Little by little, it started to shine.

Arun kept working on it. As the stone became more beautiful, Arun felt proud and confident in himself. He realized he enjoyed the work, even when it took time. One morning, he held the stone up to the sunlight and saw it sparkle brightly. It had turned into a beautiful gem!

Excited, Arun went to see his Dadaji to show him the shiny gem.

Dadaji smiled again. “See? The beauty was inside the whole time. You just needed patience to bring it out.”

Arun thought about it and said, “I think I’m like this gem. Maybe I don’t see how special I am, but if I try my best and believe in myself, I can shine too.”

Dadaji nodded. “That’s right. True beauty comes from inside you. It’s always there, waiting to shine. You have the strength of God and potential inside you.”

From then on, Arun stopped worrying about being like others. He worked on the things he loved, helped his friends, and felt happy. He realised that true beauty and joy are within oneself. He did not have to go out and be like others to find peace and happiness.