Be good.

In my childhood, spending days in the village, I became fascinated by the sky—especially the night sky. On clear evenings, when clouds were nowhere to be seen, the stars would appear, scattered in countless numbers. I remember trying to count them but quickly lost track. Their lights were so vivid and beautiful, like tiny pieces of magic suspended above.

Full of energy, I spent most days running around our backyard, inventing games and exploring every corner. Adults probably thought my actions were childish, maybe even reckless, as I ran around imagining entire worlds and occasionally doing things that could get me hurt.

One night, while I was engrossed in the stars above, my grandmother caught my eye as she walked toward the barn to milk the cows, her evening ritual. She noticed me staring upward, wide-eyed and captivated. Without hesitation, she grabbed my arm, her firm grip making me pay close attention. In that quiet moment, she leaned in and told me that if I will be good, she’d fetch a ladder from the barn and climb up to bring me any star I wanted.

The promise took hold of me. I suddenly felt a deep urge to be on my best behavior and listen carefully, because I wanted that star.

Now, my grandmother is no longer here, but the wish remains.