Olek lived with his mum, Barbara, in a small apartment. One sunny morning, Olek woke up to find his mum sitting at the kitchen table, sipping her tea with a tired look in her eyes.
"Mum, why do you look so tired?" Olek asked, his big blue eyes filled with concern.
Barbara put down her cup and gave Olek a warm, loving smile. She reached out and pulled him onto her lap, giving him a gentle hug.
"Sometimes, sweetheart, mums get tired," she began softly. "Taking care of everything can be hard work, especially when little ones like you are not feeling well."
Olek thought for a moment and remembered how he had been sick with a cold just last week. Mum had stayed by his side, reading stories, making soup, and giving him medicine.
"But Mum, you always smile, even when you’re tired. Why?" Olek asked, resting his head against her shoulder.
Barbara stroked his hair and looked into his curious eyes. "Well, Olek, life has its hard bits, but it also has its happy bits. When things get tough, like when you were sick, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. But I smile because I have so many things to be grateful for."
"Like what?" Olek asked, tilting his head.
"Like you," Barbara said, poking his nose playfully. "And our nice apartment, our friends, and the beautiful city outside. Even when I'm tired, I think about the joy you bring me every day. It reminds me that the hard moments are just a small part of a much bigger, happier picture."
Olek's face lit up with understanding. "So, even when things are hard, we can still be happy about the good things?"
"Exactly, my love," Barbara replied. "It's important to remember the good things. They give us strength and make the hard times easier to handle."
Just then, a soft meow echoed from the corner of the room. Their fluffy cat, Puffy, jumped onto the table, purring loudly. Olek giggled and scratched behind Puffy's ears.
"See, Puffy makes us happy too!" Olek exclaimed.
Barbara nodded, her smile growing wider. "Yes, he does. And your laughter, Olek, is one of the most wonderful sounds in the world. It makes all the tiredness worth it."
Olek hugged his mum tightly, feeling a warm glow in his heart. "I love you, Mum. I'll try to remember to be happy about the good things too."
"I love you too, my sweet boy," Barbara whispered, kissing his forehead. "And together, we'll always find reasons to smile, no matter how tired we might be."
From that day on, Olek looked at the world with new eyes. He noticed the beautiful flowers in the park, the songs of the birds, and the kindness in people's hearts. He learned that even on the toughest days, there were always things to be grateful for, and reasons to smile.
And every night, as Barbara tucked him into bed, she felt a special kind of joy knowing that her little boy was growing up with a heart full of gratitude and a beautiful smile she kept under her eyelids each night before falling asleep.
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