Tara was in Class 4 and loved to draw more than anything else in the world.
She would sit by the window after school with her colored pencils and sketch trees, animals, rockets, and even her teacher’s funny spectacles.
One day, her school announced an art competition. The winner’s drawing would be printed on the school’s annual magazine cover.
Tara’s eyes sparkled. “I’ll try my best!” she said.
She spent the whole week planning her idea.
She drew a picture of a small girl planting a tree under a big smiling sun, with butterflies and birds all around. She colored it with such care, even using a cotton swab to blend the sky smoothly.
When she was done, she looked at it and whispered, “This is my best drawing ever.”
The next morning, she placed it safely in her folder and went to school, walking slowly so it wouldn’t bend.
But in the corridor, she bumped into a group of rushing older boys.
Her folder flew into the air.
She watched in horror as someone’s muddy shoe stepped right in the middle of her drawing, tearing the corner and smudging the sky.
“No!” she cried out.
Some kids giggled. One said, “Oops! That’s what happens when little artists block the hallway.”
Tara didn’t say anything. She just picked up the drawing and sat on a bench, trying not to cry.
Her best work… ruined.
Just then, her friend Priya came running.
“Tara! What happened?”
Tara showed her the torn sheet. Priya looked at it and said softly, “It’s still beautiful.”
“But it’s not perfect,” Tara mumbled.
Priya sat beside her and said, “Let’s fix it together.”
They gently cut the torn part into a heart shape. Then they added more birds, pasted cotton for clouds, and used sparkle glue to cover the smudge.
When it was done, Tara smiled. “It’s even better now. It’s not what I planned, but it tells a new story.”
She submitted the drawing anyway.
A week later, during assembly, the principal announced, “And the winner of the art competition is… Tara Sharma, for her artwork called ‘Beauty in Mistakes’.”
The whole school clapped.
Tara stood on stage, holding her drawing with pride.
And she thought, sometimes, broken things can still shine if you don’t give up on them.
🌟 Moral of the Story:
A mistake doesn’t mean the end. It can be the start of something more beautiful.