Family
Yindi was a young girl who lived in a large, yet quiet city long ago. One day, she went to the market and picked up what her family needed. On her way home, she saw the visiting Lord and Lady in rich clothing. They gave her a downcast look, but Yindi just smiled and carried on. When she got home, she found her mother struggling to calm down the nine little ones. Four of them were Yindi’s siblings and the other five were cousins who parents couldn’t look after them.
“Yindi, could you please help me!?” asked her mother. Yindi said nothing and peeled the little ones off of each other and pointed to each of them where to go and what to do. She looked at her mother, who collapsed into a chair, which made her smile. The two of them looked at the little ones playing on the floor.
“It’s a real shame,” said Yindi. “I saw the Lord and Lady that have come here to visit. Their clothes were fabulous, their faces and hair was perfect, they seemed to have everything.”
“Did they have a child with them?” asked her mother.
“Well, no, but I don’t think they have one.”
“Then did you see any love in their eyes? How bout in that perfect face? Was there love or compassion there?”
“I suppose not. They kind of just glared at me.” Yindi’s mother smiled.
“You know Yindi, you are my oldest child,” she glanced at the others who were torturing the helpless cat, “you are possibly my favorite child too. So I want you to remember something. No matter how rich or poor you are; no matter how much or how little you have; you have absolutely nothing without love, compassion, or family.” Yindi knew this was true as she watched the Lord and Lady hurry by the poor townsfolk, unwilling to help in any way, with wealth beyond reason, but no love in their hearts for anyone but themselves. This made Yindi smile as she sat with her loving family on the dirt floor.