By Denobis Emeka
Once upon a time, in a small town, there lived a man who loved chasing opportunities, especially the ones that promised quick riches.
One day, he sat with an old friend who told him a tale about a diamond so rare and precious that it was said to shine even in darkness. According to his friend, the diamond was hidden somewhere deep in the South-West mountains.
Greedy for fortune, the man couldn’t resist. Without much thought, he made a reckless decision: he used the money he had been saving for his son’s college education to book a flight in search of the legendary diamond.
On his way to the airport, his car suddenly ran out of fuel. Frustrated, he pushed it along the road under the burning sun. When he finally reached a gas station, something in the distance caught his eye, a faint, mysterious sparkle on a nearby mountain.
Convinced he had already found the diamond, he abandoned the car and began to climb. The journey was steep and tiring, but he pressed on until he reached the top. There, he saw a shining stone that glittered beautifully under the sun.
Overwhelmed with excitement, he believed without question that he had found the rare diamond. He rushed back down the mountain, took the next available flight home, and hurried to have the stone examined.
When the results came, his heart broke. The glowing “diamond” was nothing more than an ordinary piece of glass, completely worthless.
The man returned home in despair. His savings were gone, the stone was fake, and his son could no longer afford to go to college. His wife was furious and disappointed. She called him careless for believing a rumor without proof. His son, heartbroken and helpless, had to give up his dream.
Sitting in silence, the man realized too late that he had traded something real and precious for an illusion.
Moral lesson
Not everything that glitters is real. Don’t be quick to act on gossip or baseless tales. Think carefully and wisely before making decisions, some opportunities shine only to deceive.
Denobis Emeka is a JSS 2 student of Lagooz School
