Once upon a time, in a small town, there lived a little wooden toy named Timo. Timo was carved by an old toymaker who loved to bring joy to children. With round button eyes, a bright smile painted on his face, and a tiny red scarf around his neck, Timo looked simple, but he carried a heart full of curiosity.
Timo’s life began on a shop shelf, where he was bought by a young girl named Anya. She carried him everywhere, to school, to the park, even to bed at night. Timo saw the world through Anya’s eyes: the laughter of children running in the playground, the warmth of family dinners, and the sparkling stars outside her window. But one day, Anya and her family moved far away, and Timo accidentally got left behind on a park bench.
At first, Timo felt sad and alone. But soon, something magical happened, his scarf caught the wind, and he rolled onto the ground. A little boy passing by picked him up with joy, and just like that, Timo’s journey continued.
From that day on, Timo became a traveling toy. He passed from one pair of loving hands to another, each time learning something new about the world. A fisherman’s son once carried Timo onto his father’s boat. From there, Timo saw the endless blue sea stretching to the horizon, where dolphins leapt and waves sang. He realised how wide and wonderful the world could be.
Later, a girl in the mountains found him in her school bag after a book exchange. With her, Timo saw tall snow-capped peaks glowing golden at sunrise. He listened to the music of cowbells and streams rushing down the slopes. “So much beauty lives in silence,” thought Timo.
One summer, Timo found himself in a city, carried by a boy who loved art. Through him, Timo entered museums filled with colours and paintings that told stories from long ago. He watched people sketch in notebooks, play violins on street corners, and dance in open squares. Timo learned that beauty was not only in nature, but also in the way humans created and shared.
Years passed, but Timo never grew old. His scarf became a little frayed, his paint slightly faded, yet everywhere he went, he carried memories like treasures. He had seen oceans and deserts, laughter and tears, grand celebrations and quiet nights. He understood now that beauty was everywhere—in places, in people, in moments both big and small.
One day, Timo was placed on another shop shelf, this time by a kind traveller who thought someone else might need him. And there, a new child walked in, eyes shining with excitement, and picked him up.
Timo’s smile seemed to grow wider. His journey wasn’t over; it never truly would be. For a toy like Timo, beauty lived not only in the world he saw, but also in the hearts he touched.
And so, Timo kept travelling, teaching everyone, child or adult, that life’s greatest beauty is found in the simple joy of sharing it together.
By Christina K Sangma