"Childhood means simplicity. Look at the world with the child's eye - it is very beautiful."
                 -Kailash Satyarthi

All the children were growing older. It was the 10th birthday of the eldest child. They were enjoying the evening as usual, when the birthday girl's mother called her to get ready.

There was a rejoicing cry among them, as finally, the evening would be best with her birthday party.

Each one of them dressed their best. Their mothers took out their favourite dresses upon their forced demands.

Things were going good but the question rose in the middle child's mind and she realized that she doesn't have any gift or anything to give her. She was fearful to go downstairs as she had this constant bothering in her mind that would she get upset with her as she didn't have anything.

As usual, her mother came to the rescue and handed her a small bracelet. She looked confused seeing her mother giving her a bracelet.

Then, her mother told her to give this small artificial pearl bracelet to the eldest. The girl beamed widely. There was no match for her happiness then.

She went to the birthday venue happily, like a cheerful bird.

The cake was cut and distributed among the members of the family, everybody celebrated the time by rejoicing. Now it was the time to give the gifts.

Everybody gave their gifts to the birthday girl. Her maternal aunt gave her a dress. Her maternal uncle gave her a pair of pretty shoes, her paternal uncle handed her some cash as it was a kind of tradition which every household follows unknowingly.

The little middle girl was feel a bit reserved seeing the gifts they were giving to the eldest. She felt inferior to them.

Her gift had no value for the birthday girl in front of those dresses, shoes and toys she got.

Her small hands clutched the bracelet tightly, she feared the eldest would be disappointed looking at what she brought for her.

But she couldn't hide.

At least not for herself, she wanted to and had to give this gift for the sake of her mother.

If there's someone who could calm a child's mind in this world, that person is more magical than magic itself.

The middle child, a bit hesitant, and slightly shy, went over to the eldest and handed her gift to her.

The eldest looked at the gift. Truth be told, she did feel sad looking at her gift. She expected a similar style of a gift from the middle child, just like she got from her relatives.

But she was happy, that the girl brought something for her. She looked at the pearls, they were pretty. Contrasting to what she had gotten from her elders, the bracelet was simple, yet so majestic.

She was happy. Happy, because, she brought it for her because it was her sister's gift.

She just hugged the middle child, and soon forgetting about all the stories plotted in her mind all the gifts, and everything, they talked.

As if forgetting every other thing in the world, they talked and by the time it was the middle child's cue to go back, she didn't have any fear, any anxiety within her.

She was content.

They were content.

Did their simplicity and affinity for each other and their feelings stay the same?

Or does it gets changed as every other thing does in this world?

                                                                  ***