An old lady sat down beside the fire place and watched her grandchildren flock around her.
She was going to teach them about patience and perseverance and what better way to do it than a story. She began by telling them about the fisherman, his daughter, a pocket watch and a light house.
A long time ago in a little town close to the sea, there was a light house and in the light house lived the fisherman, his wife and his 10 year old daughter.
This fisherman often went out to sea and stayed for days and sometimes weeks but he always promised to come back no matter what.
The little girl, being fond of her father, even with his absence, always waited for his return at the top of the light house. Her mother understood the bond between them, so she never disturbed the little girl and would simply cover her after she had fallen asleep.
The fisherman had a pocket watch, which he kept with him at all times. In the pocket watch, there was a picture of his daughter and that was the driving force that kept him going.
Through stormy seas and unbearable blizzards, he held the watch close to his heart. His daughter smile was his biggest strength but even that wasn't enough. He encountered an unforseen danger and that cost him and his crew members their ship.
Word came fort that the fisherman and his crew were dead.
The news broke his wife but his daughter refused to believe it. She still felt that connection with him and knew very clearly that he was still alive. Her mother tried to talk some sense into her but she grew deaf to it all.
Finally, her mother decided to leave the light house thinking that would move her daughter but the little girl vowed to never leave claiming it to be her one and only home. Plus, if she left, who would be there to welcome her father once he returned.
Her words and actions angered her mother. It was clear that she loved her father more but did she have to be so stubborn? He was dead and she was the only one she could rely on, why couldn't she, the little girl, face that fact?
Her mother packed her things and headed for the door giving the little girl one last chance to choose because she wasn't the type to force people against their will, even if she was her own daughter.
The little girl stood firm and nonchalant about it all. She had her hopes up and was never going to give up on waiting; this, her mother had to understand.
The little girl watched as her mother slammed the door behind her and broke down crying. She was all alone and had no one to accompany her.
Even if she was little,she knew the meaning of her mothers action but what hurt her the most was that her mother never cherished the light house.
Everyone knew how much her father passed through just to keep the lighthouse standing and how much he valued it. Leaving it would be like leaving him behind.
For days, this little girl strived with the little in the house and also got help from the town's people. At night, she waited at the top of the light house watching the seas in hope for her father's safe return.
This action of hers showed how determined she was and how strong the bond between her and her father was. There was no doubt that with this determination at heart, her wish would come true and it finally did.
The fisherman and his crew members emerged safe and unhurt after so long. There was no one more happy than the little girl.
Through those lonely and dark days, she persevered. Through those stormy nights and starving nights, the fisherman persevered all for seeing his little girl again. And at the end, their wishes both came true.
The old lady concluded the story but the children were still curious. Curious as to what the fisherman's wife felt when she heard of his return and how the fisherman felt after discovering that she left.
Surely the fisherman felt sad. Sad that his wife didn't know him as much as he thought she did and sad that his daughter had to wait for him alone for so long.
He let it all go and lived peacefully with his daughter. His wife however, felt guilty and had no courage to return even if she wanted to.
Thus, she got rewarded for her impatience and lost both her husband and her daughter.
This conclusion was enough to satisfy the little ones as they all retired to their beds with the little girls courage at heart.