The Big Strawberry

A large red strawberry grew in a child's garden. When it was finally ripe, she carefully picked it. It was the biggest strawberry she had ever grown.

She placed it on the kitchen table and admired it all afternoon. The strawberry glowed in the sunlight.

“It's too pretty to eat,” she said.

She decided to keep it one more day.

The next morning, it was still beautiful.

“Maybe one more day.”

The day after that, it felt a little softer.

“Maybe tomorrow.”

A few days later, brown spots appeared. Soon the strawberry was wrinkled and moldy.

The child stared at it.

“I was saving it,” she said.

The kitchen felt very quiet.

The following summer, another large strawberry ripened in the garden. The child picked it and admired it all afternoon.

Then she washed it and took a bite.

It was sweet and bright and gone too soon.

But this time, she had enjoyed it while it was still here.