Sophichkin’s Lighthouse

There once was a little girl.  Her name was Sophichkin.

Sophichkin woke up one morning and thought it would be a fantastic day to take a long walk with her daddy.  They loved to meander together talking about this and that and that and this and playing silly games with one another as they walked.  Today felt like a day that should be full of walking and talking and adventures, so she went to find her daddy.

He agreed that this was indeed a great day for using their feet, and so they began to discuss where to go on such a walkable, talkable day.

Her daddy suggested that they walk to the hardware store, but Sophichkin thought that sounded quite boring and far too grown up.

Sophichkin thought they should walk to the beach, but her daddy said that sounded quite sandy and far too wet.

Her daddy said maybe they could walk to the park, but Sophichkin had just been there the day before and was all monkey barred out.

Finally, Sophichkin asked to walk to the ice cream store since they both loved sweets, but her daddy was watching his weight because he loved them too much.

With so many choices for where to go, they simply could not agree on where to walk that day!

Finally, Sophichkin’s daddy said in frustration “I’m going to walk to the tall white lighthouse and that’s that!”

“Ok, fine!  But I’m not going to the lighthouse.  My mind is made up and I’m going o the tree swing!” she replied sharply.

They were both quite upset about their disagreement, but both were absolutely set on their destinations.  And so they both left the house and began their walking.  Sophichkin headed for the tree swing and her daddy started toward the lighthouse.  Both of them were certain that their decision was the right one, and that the other was simply being stubborn for no good reason at all.

A short distance into her walk, Sophickin noticed that her daddy was still walking quite nearby, and that he was headed in the same direction.

“I thought you were walking to the lighthouse!  I’m walking this way!” Sophichkin said crossly.

“I am walking to the lighthouse!  You go on to the tree swing without me!” her daddy said with a frown.

“Fine!  Harrumph!” they both harrumphed and continued their walks.

In order to reach the lighthouse and the rope swing, both Sophichkin and her daddy needed to walk along paths that led through a cheerful forest.  As their paths parted into the forest, both looked up at all the beautiful leaves rustling in the trees, marveled at the sound of happy birdies singing high above and the smell of the clean earth beneath their feet.  Soon they both lost all thought of their disagreement and of their respective destinations.  How silly it would have been to hold on to any bad feelings when they were surrounded by such beautiful scenery, songs and smells!

Soon, as she was busy looking at the trees along her path, Sophichkin’s foot struck something on the ground.  She looked down and saw that she had accidentally kicked a perfectly round, perfectly smooth stone that happened to be laying in her path.  She thought the stone most beautiful and then remembered how much her daddy liked collecting stones of all sorts and sizes.  She picked up the pretty stone and plopped it in her pocket as she continued her walk.

Meanwhile, her daddy was humming a pretty song to accompany the crickets that chirped music for him to walk by.  They made a great musical group, the crickets and he, thought her daddy.  Maybe one day they would record a song together and become very famous.  This, of course, was a silly notion, as crickets are notoriously shy and would almost certainly reject any idea of fame and fortune.  They just liked to chirp.  And sometimes jump.  Sometimes, he supposed, they also chirped as they jumped.  His head was lost in this and other such silly thoughts when he noticed a particularly large acorn laying on the path in front of him.  Remembering how much Sophichkin loved to use acorn caps to make whistling noises, he picked up the acorn and put it in his front pocket before continuing on his way. 

Soon, both Sophichkin and her daddy found that their paths emptied at the top of a large hill just beyond where the forest had ended.  Atop the large hill was a tall white lighthouse with a large oak tree standing proudly beside it.  The beacon of the lighthouse spun round and round as a small wooden swing hanging from the oak tree gently swayed in the wind.

They smiled at one another warmly and excitedly exchanged their presents.  After a quick hug and kiss, Sophickin whistled into the acorn cap while admiring the tall white lighthouse and it’s beacon of light.  Her  daddy grinned and polished the pretty stone as he sat on the small wooden swing under the oak tree.  The crickets chirped as they jumped just out of view.