The Broken Cup

Maya was seven years old. She lived with her grandmother in a small house with a yellow kitchen.

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Grandma had a favourite teacup. It was small and white with tiny blue flowers painted on the side. Grandma drank her afternoon tea from that cup every single day.

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One afternoon Maya was helping with the dishes. She was standing on a small stool by the sink. The teacup slipped from her hand. It fell to the floor. It broke into three sharp pieces.

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Maya stared at the pieces. Her heart was beating very fast. She thought about saying that the cat had knocked it down, or that it had been broken when she got it. The cat was not even in the kitchen. But Grandma was upstairs, and Maya could have hidden the pieces and said nothing at all.

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Maya took a deep breath. She walked upstairs. She knocked on the door of Grandma's room.

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"Grandma," she said. "I broke your favourite teacup. I am very sorry."

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Grandma was quiet for a moment. Then she opened her arms. Maya ran into the hug.

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"My love," said Grandma. "Thank you for telling me the truth. The cup is gone, but you and I are not. That is the important thing."

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> Truthfulness is the foundation of all the virtues.

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That is what Bahá'u'lláh teaches. Maya had been brave. She had told the truth. Grandma had been kind. The kitchen, in a few minutes, was warm again.

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