I have a flashlight, but it’s broken.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
Sometimes I turn it on, and it shines brightly right away.
Sometimes I bang it against the table to get it to turn on.
Sometimes it’s light is very weak.
Sometimes it’s light is very strong.
Sometimes it doesn’t even turn on, no matter how hard I try.

We are like this flashlight
We each have our neshama, which has a mission in it
Sometimes, we shine brightly right away
Sometimes, we have to go through some “banging”, in order for our neshama to shine
Sometimes it shines very weakly
Sometimes it shines very brightly
Sometimes, unfortunately, it doesn’t even shine at all

We must always try to make sure to shine
To complete our mission in this world
If you have a talent, use it for good
If your going through something tough, think about how that experience will change you for the better
And finally
When all our missions have been completed
All of our neshamos are shining
And when
Moshiach will come
Then the whole world will be lit up
And we won’t even need a flashlight

 

— Chaya Gurevitz, Age 11, Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh, West Virginia