Courage to Start Over

By Author Giljonnys Dias da Silva 

 

Lena stood at the base of the old lighthouse, the salty wind whipping through her hair. The structure, once a symbol of safety for sailors, now seemed worn and abandoned, much like her life. It had been a year since her divorce, and since then, she had been drifting, unsure of where she was going or what she was meant to do.

 

She had left the city behind, seeking solace in the quiet of the coast. The lighthouse had caught her attention immediately—it was the perfect place to start over. It was isolated, with no distractions, no memories. Just the sound of the waves and the steady pulse of the beacon that once guided ships.

 

Lena had been hired as the new keeper of the lighthouse, a job she knew little about but hoped would help her clear her mind. The previous keeper, an elderly man named Jonas, had left abruptly after a fall. Now, the place was hers to care for, to bring back to life.

 

As she climbed the narrow spiral staircase to the top, she felt a flicker of hope. She had no idea how to maintain the light or tend to the machinery, but she was determined to learn. The idea of caring for something—of having a purpose again—felt oddly comforting. The lighthouse represented a new beginning, even if it was only for her.

 

At the top, she gazed out over the vast, endless ocean. The horizon stretched out before her, infinite and full of possibility. For the first time in a long while, Lena felt a spark of excitement.

 

The light flickered on, casting a steady beam across the water. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough. It was her light, and it was guiding her forward, one step at a time.

 

The lighthouse keeper was no longer just a job—it was a new chapter in her life, one she was ready to embrace, even if it meant starting from scratch.

 

Translation into Brazilian Portuguese: 

 

Coragem para Recomeçar

 

Lena estava na base do antigo farol, o vento salgado soprando pelos seus cabelos. A estrutura, que antes era um símbolo de segurança para os marinheiros, agora parecia desgastada e abandonada, assim como sua vida. Já fazia um ano desde o seu divórcio e, desde então, ela estava à deriva, sem saber para onde estava indo ou o que deveria fazer.

 

Ela havia deixado a cidade para trás, buscando consolo no silêncio da costa. O farol chamou sua atenção imediatamente—era o lugar perfeito para recomeçar. Estava isolado, sem distrações, sem lembranças. Apenas o som das ondas e o pulsar constante da luz que antes guiava os navios.

 

Lena havia sido contratada como a nova guardiã do farol, um trabalho sobre o qual sabia pouco, mas esperava que ajudasse a clarear sua mente. O guardião anterior, um homem idoso chamado Jonas, havia saído abruptamente após uma queda. Agora, o lugar era dela para cuidar e trazer de volta à vida.

 

Enquanto subia a estreita escada em espiral até o topo, sentiu uma centelha de esperança. Ela não tinha ideia de como manter a luz ou cuidar da maquinaria, mas estava determinada a aprender. A ideia de cuidar de algo—de ter um propósito novamente—soava estranhamente reconfortante. O farol representava um novo começo, mesmo que fosse apenas para ela.

 

No topo, ela olhou para o vasto e infinito oceano. O horizonte se estendia diante dela, infinito e cheio de possibilidades. Pela primeira vez em muito tempo, Lena sentiu uma faísca de excitação.

 

A luz piscou e se acendeu, lançando um feixe constante sobre a água. Não era perfeita, mas era o suficiente. Era a sua luz, e ela estava a guiando para frente, um passo de cada vez.

 

O cargo de guardiã do farol não era mais apenas um trabalho—era um novo capítulo em sua vida, um capítulo que ela estava pronta para abraçar, mesmo que isso significasse começar do zero.

 

Bibliographic References 

 

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Bettelheim, B. (1976). The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. Alfred A. Knopf.

 

Doyle, A. (2007). The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. (Adapted for Children). Dover Publications.

 

Guthrie, R. & Webster, H. (1995). Short Stories for Children. Cambridge University Press.

 

Hale, N. (2007). The Peculiar Pig. Henry Holt and Company.

 

Johnson, A. (2009). The Big Book of Short Stories for Children. Scholastic.

 

Norton, D. E. (2000). Through the Eyes of a Child: An Introduction to Children's Literature. Pearson.

 

Reynolds, P. (2009). The Opposite of Worry: The Playful Parenting of Short Stories. HarperCollins.

 

Stern, S. (2013). The Complete Short Stories of Roald Dahl. Penguin Random House.

 

Tatar, M. (2003). The Annotated Brothers Grimm. W.W. Norton & Company.