Once upon a time, in a charming, bustling little schoolhouse, nestled on a hill overlooking the town, there stood a neat little clock. It wasn’t grand, nor shiny, nor extravagant. In fact, the clock was quite ordinary. It had a round face, polished smooth, with numbers from one to twelve painted around the edges, and two little hands, one short and one long. Yet, its place in the schoolroom was anything but ordinary.
From morning until the final bell rang, the clock stood proudly on the wall, ticking away. Its two little hands danced around its face all day, pointing to the hours and minutes as they came and went. It told the time for reading, writing, math, and of course, snack and playtime.
As the days rolled into weeks, the children in the schoolroom began to notice something special about the little clock. It always showed the correct time, its hands ever ready to point out the hour, never lagging behind, never rushing forward. More than that, its face was always clean and bright, no dust, no grime, just a friendly gleam greeting them each day.
Intrigued by the clock’s consistency and cheerfulness, the children turned to their wise old teacher, Mrs. Appletree, and asked, “How does the clock keep such accurate time and stay so bright?”
With a kind smile, Mrs. Appletree explained, “The clock, dear children, is like each one of us. The secret to its clean face and perfect timing is simple: it always tries to do what is right.”
The children blinked, their young minds buzzing with curiosity. “What do you mean?” asked little Lucy, her eyes round with wonder.
“Well, think of it this way,” Mrs. Appletree began, “The clock’s face stays clean because it never gets involved in dirt or mischief. It chooses to remain high on the wall, avoiding trouble. And its hands are always ready to move at the right moment, never rushing, never dragging. It is just like doing the right thing at the right time.”
The children pondered her words, their faces thoughtful. Slowly, understanding dawned upon them. They realized that like the little clock, they could keep their lives clean and bright by staying out of mischief and doing what was right. They could be ever ready to lend a helping hand, to share, to love, and to care for each other.
