Source: Pixbay
Beauty was known all around the neighborhood for one thing her stubbornness. She wasn’t mean, she wasn’t rude, and she wasn’t unfriendly. But once she made up her mind, nothing and no one could change it. Not even her closest friends Lisa, Precious, and Abigail who often found themselves shaking their heads in disbelief.
Beauty, I’m telling you, you don’t have to climb that tree to prove a point, Lisa pleaded one sunny afternoon as the group stood beneath the tallest mango tree in the compound.
Beauty had her arms crossed, chin up, lips pressed together in that signature stubborn expression. He said I couldn’t do it. I’m doing it, she replied simply.
She’s going to fall, Abigail muttered, placing her hands on her hips.
Precious, ever the peacemaker, stepped forward. Beauty, there’s no prize at the top of the tree. Let’s just go get mangoes from the market.
But Beauty was already halfway up, her skirt tied at the knees for better movement. Minutes later, she returned with three ripe mangoes and a scraped elbow, grinning like a champion.
That’s how you handle doubters, she said proudly, ignoring the concerned looks from her friends.
It wasn’t that Beauty didn’t listen. She just trusted her instincts more than anyone else's opinion. If she believed in something, she pursued it with all her might. Whether it was joining the football team at school despite being the only girl, or standing up to a teacher for wrongly accusing a classmate, Beauty never backed down. And while her stubbornness often led to arguments and risky situations, it also made her fearless and passionate.
But things reached a boiling point one Friday afternoon when the school announced a talent competition.
Let’s perform together, Abigail said, bouncing with excitement. We can dance to that new song. Everyone loves it!
Or we could act a funny drama, Lisa suggested. You know, something that makes the crowd laugh.
Precious nodded. We should do it as a team. We’ll have more fun.
Beauty shook her head. “I want to perform a spoken word poem.
The girls paused.
Alone?, Lisa asked, surprised.
Beauty nodded firmly. It’s something I wrote about dreams and identity. It’s personal. I don’t want to dance or act. I need to do this, because she loves when she is worshipped not that she is selfish or greedy.
But we planned to enter together, Abigail said, her voice low.
We promised each other, Precious added gently.
I didn’t promise anything, Beauty said, her tone calm but final. This means a lot to me. I won’t change my mind, she wanted to prove that to everyone in her family that everything is possible but that wasn't the right time for that.
The room went silent. The girls exchanged disappointed glances, then walked away. For the first time in years, Beauty found herself sitting alone during lunch.
Days passed. Beauty prepared her poem, practicing in front of the mirror, pouring her heart into every word. But no matter how confident she felt about her performance, the empty seat beside her in class and the awkward smiles from her friends stung more than she expected.
The day of the competition arrived. Abigail, Lisa, and Precious performed a colorful, joyful dance that made the crowd cheer. Beauty watched from backstage, her chest tight. She missed laughing with them during rehearsals. She missed their silly fights and group hugs.
When her name was called, Beauty walked out into the spotlight. The crowd fell silent. She looked into the audience, and to her surprise, she saw her friends sitting in the front row. They weren’t smiling. But they were watching.
With a deep breath, she began.
They called me stubborn, like it was a curse.
But I see it as courage, not something worse.
I walk my path, even when it’s rough,
I don’t back down when the road gets tough.
But sometimes strength is knowing when to bend,
When to listen, and when to make amends…
Source: Pixbay
As her voice echoed through the hall, her eyes filled with tears. The applause at the end was loud and sincere, but what mattered more was the moment she walked off stage and found Lisa, Precious, and Abigail waiting.
That was beautiful, Precious said quietly.
You were amazing, Lisa added.
But you still should’ve done it with us, Abigail teased, giving her a playful push.
I know, Beauty said, finally. “I should’ve compromised. I didn’t mean to hurt you all. I just… I thought I had to prove something.
Abigail smiled. “You don’t have to prove anything to us. We know who you are.
And we love you. Stubbornness and all, Lisa said, pulling her into a hug.
Beauty blinked back tears. I guess… I can learn to listen more. Sometimes.
The four girls laughed together for the first time in weeks. And in that moment, Beauty realized that being strong didn’t mean always doing things her way. Sometimes, strength meant admitting you were wrong. It meant growing. It meant making room for others in your journey.
Yes, Beauty was stubborn. But now, she was learning to be wise, too.
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