Thank You, Ladybug!

By Listoman Tanjung

One beautiful morning, little Joice, with her bright, curious eyes, decided to go outside and play in her lovely garden. As she stepped out, the very first thing she did was call out softly, "Caty, where are you, my sweet little cat?" Joice loved playing with her special furry friend. Soon enough, she heard a happy answer: "Meow! Meow!" Joice smiled widely as she found her fluffy cat, Caty, sitting quietly and peacefully by the tall, green cherry tree. Joice gently gave her beloved cat a warm hug and a soft kiss, then patted Caty's head very carefully and tenderly. This happy moment in the garden was a perfect start to her day.

Right after her sweet moment with Caty, Joice's eyes caught sight of something truly wonderful and very special! There, resting delicately on a leaf of the cherry tree, was a tiny, charming ladybug. It had a bright, shiny red shell with pretty black spots, just like a little polka-dotted jewel! With extreme care, Joice slowly held out her hand, offering a safe place for the small insect. *Whoosh!* The little ladybug, so brave and gentle, calmly walked right onto her palm. Joice giggled softly because it felt just a little bit tickly, a fun and exciting experience for a little girl.

With the tiny ladybug resting carefully on her hand, Joice brought it very close to her mouth, almost as if she was sharing a secret. She closed her eyes for a moment and made a very special and heartfelt wish. "Oh, dear Ladybug," she whispered softly, "please, please help my daddy get enough money! My mommy is feeling very sick and weak, and she truly needs to visit the kind doctor in the big city." After making her wish, Joice blew a gentle puff of air, so soft that it wouldn't hurt the ladybug. The tiny ladybug then flew gracefully up, up, and away into the vast blue sky! It circled once, like a tiny red airplane, right above Joice's head, and then flew far, far away, carrying Joice's biggest hope.

After her special wish with the ladybug, caring Joice immediately went into the warm kitchen. Her heart was full of love as she prepared a nice, warm bowl of delicious soup for her dear mommy. Joice felt a little bit sad and worried inside because her sweet Mommy had been feeling unwell and very sick for many, many weeks now. Mommy was looking very thin and weak, staying mostly in bed. But a warm, loving smile brightened Mommy's face when she saw her thoughtful daughter, Joice, coming into the room. "Time for a yummy breakfast, sweet Mommy," Joice said softly, her voice full of encouragement. "This warm soup will surely help you get strong again!" Mommy simply smiled back and gave a weak but grateful nod. Joice carefully fed Mommy the soup, spoonful by spoonful, with so much patience and love, until every last drop was gone. Then, Joice gently stroked Mommy's hair and whispered, "Please get well very soon, Mommy." Mommy smiled weakly again and said, "Thank you, my dear Joice. You are truly so very kind." Mommy then added, "You can go play now, sweetheart. Perhaps Daddy needs your help with his plants too." "Okay, Mommy!" Joice happily agreed. She gave Mommy a soft, loving kiss on her forehead and quietly left the room, ready to help her daddy.

With a heart full of hope, Joice cheerfully walked towards the big, green backyard where her father was busy working. Her daddy, a diligent farmer, was carefully watering all of his many watermelon plants. These plants were still quite young, only about a month old, but they already looked so vibrantly green and incredibly strong, reaching for the sun! Joice looked at them with a hopeful gaze. She truly wished and prayed that Daddy's watermelons would grow to be super big and wonderfully juicy this year, much better than last year. Sadly, last year the sun had been too scorching hot, and many of the precious watermelons didn't grow well or ripen properly, causing much worry for the family. A successful harvest this season was very important for their family's well-being.

Joice, always thoughtful and helpful, walked up to her daddy and asked, "Daddy, did you already eat your breakfast? I can quickly bring you some yummy porridge if you're hungry!" Daddy smiled warmly at his caring daughter. "Yes, thank you so much, sweetie," Daddy replied with a happy sigh. "I already had my breakfast this morning." Joice, eager to lend a hand, then asked, "Can I please help you water these plants, Daddy?" At first, Daddy said, "No need, little helper. It's better if you stay inside with Mommy. She needs someone kind to talk to and keep her company." "Oh, Daddy!" Joice exclaimed, "I just fed her breakfast and spent time with her!" Hearing this, Daddy's face lit up with a big smile. "Well, then, yes!" he said, "You certainly can help me water these thirsty plants right now." And so, Joice happily picked up a small watering can and joyfully helped Daddy water every single one of the green watermelon plants, making sure they got plenty of refreshing water. This made her feel like a true helper on the family farm.

Just two short months later, a truly exciting day arrived! It was finally time to harvest all the watermelons that Daddy had worked so hard to grow! And oh my goodness, what a wonderful surprise! The watermelons were incredibly big and perfectly round, bursting with juicy goodness! Each single plant proudly held two or even three enormous, flawless watermelons. Daddy worked diligently to pick every one, filling his baskets with the vibrant green and striped fruit. Then, he took all the beautiful, ripe watermelons to sell them at the bustling market. And guess what? He earned lots and lots of money, more than he had hoped for! This bountiful harvest was a huge blessing for their family.

With the unexpected big earnings from selling the watermelons, Daddy immediately took Mommy to see the very best doctor in the big city. They visited the doctor a few times, and each visit filled Joice's heart with more and more hope. And can you believe it? Soon, after receiving the proper medical care and rest, Mommy felt completely better and strong again! She could happily get out of bed, walk around the house, and even do her favorite things again, like cooking and playing with Joice. Joice was absolutely overjoyed and truly happy to see her dear Mommy healthy and smiling once more, thanks to her daddy's successful harvest and the magic of the ladybug's wish.

One cozy evening, as the family sat together enjoying a delicious dinner, Joice, with a big, bright smile, decided to share a very special secret with her parents. "Guess what, Daddy and Mommy?" Joice said, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "I asked the kind ladybug to help Daddy get all that money for Mommy's medicine!" She leaned in, her voice full of innocent wonder, "The magical ladybug truly helped Daddy grow those super good and super big watermelons!" She believed with all her heart that her tiny red friend had made all the difference.

Daddy and Mommy looked at each other, and then they chuckled softly, with warm and loving smiles. "Oh, sweet Joice," Daddy said gently, his eyes full of tenderness, "that was probably just very good luck, my dear! A tiny bug, even a special one, can't really do all of that by itself." But Mommy, with a playful wink at Joice, added, "Maybe, Daddy, maybe! But you know, some old fairy tales and stories do say that kind ladybugs can sometimes make wishes truly come true, especially for good girls!" Daddy and Mommy looked lovingly at Joice, their hearts full of happiness, and then they all chuckled together, a wonderful, joyful sound in their now healthy and happy family home. This moment showed how much they loved each other and the power of hope and belief.