Our Island

Mason was the single father of a young, eight year old daughter, Kia. One day, when the weather outside was sunny and warm with a nice cool breeze and the air was fresh from the rain not long gone, Mason decided that today, they would climb a mountain.

When he'd been Kia's age, Mason's father had done the same with him. He'd climbed with him all the way to the mountain's top where you could see the whole city, right out to the ocean. And so he set out to do the same with Kia.


"No Dad!" She complained when Mason told Kia his plan. "I don't want to climb a mountain. Not now, not today, not ever!" Being quite tall, Mason had to kneel before he was at Kia's eye level. "Sweetie." He said, stroking her cheek. "Just give it a go. It will be worth it." He promised. "I suppose." Kia said reluctantly. "Well," Mason said, rising once again to his full height. Kia peered up at him as he continued to speak. "You don't know untill you try, do you?" "I guess not." She admitted.

So Kia and Mason climbed the mountain. When they reached the top, Mason knelt beside his daughter once again. This time, so that he'd be around her height. Mason pointed to an island far in the distance, over a vast patch of sea. "See that island there?" He asked. Kia squinted hard before answering. "Kind of." "That's our island." He told his daughter. Because that island had been in his family for years, and now it was he who owned it. "Really?" Kia gasped, looking skeptically at her father. "Yes." Mason grinned at his daughter who had the beginnings of a smile on her lips. "We can go there any time you like." He promised. "Even now?" Kia asked, excited suddenly. "Well maybe not today." Mason admitted. "But soon."

As Kia and Mason were coming back down the mountain, Mason looked at Kia, a big grin still on her face. "See?" He asked, grinning back at her. "You don't know until you try."