Captain
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the park, a tapestry of a thousand trees and flowers. The air was thick with the sweet scent of cotton candy, sold near a small, yet refreshing fountain, spraying a cool mist into the air. Evenings in the park were a lively affair, especially as the weather warmed, with families out for walks and children playing. For the rest of the day, the park served as a shortcut for the residents, and this is exactly what Dil'shoda and her daughter, Yasmina, used. Dil'shoda picked up her daughter from kindergarten, her mind replaying the image of the little girl in the class – the one who was blind in one eye and had to cover it to avoid scaring the other children. All the kids treated her equally, but it was hard not to feel different. Back home, Dil'shoda started preparing dinner for her husband, while Yasmina disappeared into her room. Once the food was ready, Dil'shoda went to call her daughter, but found Yasmina cutting scraps of different materials from her drawer, diligently crafting something. Dil'shoda asked her daughter what she was making, and with a bright smile, Yasmina explained that she was creating eye patches for all the children in kindergarten, so they could make the little girl feel comfortable. After dinner, her mother helped Yasmina with the patches, and for a week now, the children have been happily playing pirates. They've even made the girl the captain! The entire kindergarten has embraced the idea, and Yasmina and the children are thrilled to have brought her a little joy and a sense of belonging, proving that she's just like them, and that she doesn't need to hide her uniqueness. Dil'shoda is proud of her daughter, seeing how kind, caring and compassionate she is. The world is full of good people. These kinds of acts of kindness happen all the time, we just need to open our eyes and see them.