Sofia's Cookie Poem by Robert Peacock

There once was a little girl named Giselle. She was a fourth grader from the poor side of town. Giselle came from a large family with many brothers and sisters. Her dad left when she was five, leaving many hungry mouths to feed. Despite her sometimes-bleak surroundings, Giselle was very kind-hearted and generous.

Many nights, Giselle went to bed hungry and woke up the next morning feeling the same. She would go to school almost every morning, famished. It was so bad that she would try to get a stick of gum from a fellow student to cut into small pieces and swallow. Gizell's lunch period was at 1: 00 pm, and the gum would stop the hunger pains and quiet her stomach.

One day, Giselle met a girl named Sofia during morning gym class. Giselle had no gum that day, and Sofia noticed her growling stomach. Sofia said, 'You sound hungry.' Giselle bashfully shook her head, yes.

In the hallway after class, Sofia approached Giselle at her locker and said, 'I have something for you.' From behind her back, Sofia pulled out a sizeable sealed oatmeal cookie and gave it to Giselle. At first, pride did not allow Giselle to take the cookie, but soon hunger won over, and she took it. Giselle thanked Sofia and slowly ate the cookie while holding back a tear. The cookie, a simple yet profound act of kindness, gave her energy and was enough to satisfy her hunger until lunchtime, leaving Giselle overwhelmed with gratitude.

The next day, after gym class, Sofia approached Gizelle again. 'I heard your stomach growl again today, ' Sofia said, offering her another cookie. This time, Giselle refused and said, 'I don't want to take your cookie two days in a row.' Sofia responded, 'My parents give me two cookies daily, and I don't mind sharing one with you.' Giselle said, 'Are you sure? ' Sofia replied, 'Yes, and if you give me the combination to your locker, I will put one in your locker every day before school.' Giselle broke down in tears.

From that morning until school ended, Giselle prayed for Sofia's cookie to be in her locker every day and it was.

As Giselle grew older, she became successful through hard work. She never forgot Sofia's cookie and the unselfish generosity of her simple gift.

Never close your heart to the needs of others; you never know what impact your gift, even if it's a simple cookie, will have.