8th Mar 2025
Lily was a bright 10-year-old girl with sparkling blue eyes and curly brown hair. She often said, "I wish I could play with kids like you do!" as she waved at her online friends during video calls. Since vaccines made her feel sick, she stayed at home, learning with her mom and connecting to school through the computer, but she missed playing outside and having real friends who truly understood her.
One sunny afternoon, Lily decided to take her art supplies into the backyard. "Maybe I can make new friends on my street!" she thought, sketching pictures of flowers and animals. But when she showed them to the neighborhood kids, they only giggled and whispered. Feeling sad, she whispered to herself, "Being a friend is about being kind, not making fun of others." Lily hoped that one day, she would find friends who loved her for who she was.
The next day, as Lily sat at her desk, she noticed something unusual on her screen. Her online friend, Emma, sent her a message saying, "We're all drawing our favorite things today! Want to join in?" Excitedly, Lily grabbed her art supplies and began sketching her favorite animal, a cheerful dolphin. As she shared her drawing with her online friends, they all cheered and praised her work. For the first time in a while, Lily felt the warmth of true friendship, even through the screen.
Encouraged by the kindness of her online friends, Lily decided to organize a virtual art show. She sent out invitations to her classmates and even some neighborhood kids, hoping to bring everyone together. On the day of the show, her screen lit up with smiles and waves as each participant shared their artwork. Lily was overjoyed to see that her neighborhood friends had joined too, and they seemed genuinely interested in her drawings. Slowly, Lily realized that friendship wasn't about where or how you met, but about the connections you made.
With a newfound sense of confidence, Lily waved goodbye to her online friends and stepped outside with her sketchbook. This time, she wasn't afraid to show her art to the neighborhood kids. "Hey, those are really cool," said a boy named Max, who had been one of the gigglers before. "Can you show me how to draw like that?" he asked. Lily beamed with joy, nodding eagerly, knowing she was on her way to finding real friends, both online and right there on her street.
