She walked the path, eyes on the trail,
A quiet spark, a steady pace.
Around her bloomed a wild display—
Bright flowers in a tangled race.

“I’ll gather those that shine the most,
To mark how far and wide I’ve been.”
She reached for yellow, loud and bold—
A symbol of the life she’s in.

She stacked them high, arms full of flash,
But soon they pricked and pulled her down.
She let a few slip through her grip—
Too much can spin the best around.

She added blue, cool like the breeze,
For charm and style and looking smart.
Then red ones too—just one or two—
To show she had a daring heart.

She saw strange plants with silver leaves,
No flowers bloomed, but still they gleamed.
“I’m not so sure,” she said at first,
But grabbed a few—they fit the theme.

She passed small buds in quiet white,
Their petals neat, their stems all clean.
“Too plain,” she thought, and walked ahead—
Still chasing some imagined dream.

But when the sky turned gold and low,
She found a single blossom tall.
Its shape was strong, its color calm,
It stood alone and said it all.

She glanced down at her crowded bunch—
Too mixed, too messy, full of noise.
She dropped them gently, stepped ahead,
And picked the bloom with quiet poise.

With only one firm flower now,
She felt more clear, more light, more free.
Not every pretty thing she passed
Was meant to come along, you see.

She reached the gate—no need to boast—
Just one bold bloom held to her chest.
Not all the flash she thought she’d need,
But all she’d need to do her best.

_{“One Worth Holding” by Nina D. Smith. Published by Bright Bunny Books © 2025. Retelling of “A Parable of Girlhood” from Fireside Stories for Girls in Their Teens by Margaret W. Eggleston, originally published in 1921.}

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“One Worth Holding” is ideal for students in grades 6–8 because it uses accessible language, relatable imagery, and a clear metaphor to explore themes of choice, self-awareness, and growing confidence.