Lila sat cross-legged on her bed, her small hands clasped together, eyes tightly shut. But the words she sought refused to come. "Why can't I find the right words, Nana?" she asked, her voice tinged with frustration.
Nana, with her silver hair tied back in a neat bun and eyes full of warmth, smiled gently from the rocking chair. "Sometimes, my dear, it's not about the words but the heart that speaks them," she replied softly.
Nana rose from her chair, her movements slow and deliberate, and sat beside Lila. "Let me tell you a secret, Lila," she whispered, her voice a gentle caress against the silence. "Every prayer is like a story, a journey of thoughts and feelings."
Lila's eyes widened, curiosity replacing her earlier frustration. "A story?" she echoed, intrigued.
Nana nodded, her fingers tracing patterns in the air. "Yes, imagine your day as a story. What made you smile? What made your heart feel full?" She paused, letting the words settle.
Lila thought for a moment. "Today, I saw a butterfly. It was so colorful and free," she said, her voice filled with wonder.
[Nana_d]"Then let that be your prayer,"[/@ch_2_d] Nana encouraged, her eyes twinkling with encouragement. "Thank the stars for the butterfly's dance and how it made you feel."
Lila closed her eyes again, this time with renewed purpose. "Thank you for the butterfly," she whispered, each word an offering to the night. "Thank you for its colors and the way it danced just for me."
Nana watched her, heart swelling with pride. "You see, Lila, your prayer is your heart's story," she said softly.
Lila opened her eyes, a smile gracing her lips. "I felt it, Nana. I felt the story in my heart," she said, her voice filled with newfound understanding.
Nana enveloped her in a tender hug. "And that, my dear, is the true power of prayer," she murmured, kissing the top of Lila's head.
Lila snuggled under her blankets, her eyelids growing heavy. "Goodnight, Nana," she whispered, her heart content.
Nana tucked her in lovingly, her own heart brimming with joy. "Goodnight, my sweet girl," she replied, turning off the lamp and letting the comforting darkness embrace them both.
