Once upon a time, in the heart of Chicago, there was a neighborhood called Little Italy. It was home to many Italian-Americans who were proud of their heritage and loved sharing it with others. Among the residents of Little Italy was a little boy named Marco. Marco was seven years old and went to kindergarten at St. Joseph’s School. He loved going to school and learning new things every day.
One day, Marco woke up feeling grumpy. He didn’t want to go to school and he didn’t want to play with his friends. He wanted everything to be about him. As he walked to school, he grumbled to himself, thinking about how he could make everyone focus on him.
When he arrived at school, he noticed that his friend Sophia was upset. She was crying and didn’t want to go inside. Marco went over to her and asked her what was wrong. Sophia told him that she had lost her favorite toy, a teddy bear that her grandma had given her. But he didn’t really listen to her. He was too busy thinking about himself and how he could make the day all about him. Sophia got frustrated with him and told him that he wasn’t being a good friend. She even got so mad at him that she didn’t talk to him for the rest of the day.
Marco felt bad about what had happened, but he didn’t really know what to do. He didn’t understand why Sophia was so upset with him, and he felt like she was being unfair.
As the day went on, Marco’s classmates started to notice his bad mood. They tried to cheer him up, but he didn’t want to play with them or listen to their stories. He just wanted to be left alone.
As the day went on, Marco’s bad mood got worse. He didn’t listen to his teacher or participate in class activities. He was too focused on himself and what he wanted.
Finally, it was time to go home. Marco walked out of the school feeling lonely and unhappy. As he walked through the streets of Little Italy, he saw Sophia’s grandma. She was walking towards him, holding something in her hand. When she got closer, Marco realized that it was Sophia’s teddy bear.
Sophia’s grandma told Marco that she had found the teddy bear on the sidewalk and knew it belonged to Sophia. She thanked Marco for being such a good friend to Sophia and asked him to give the teddy bear back to her.
Marco felt a surge of happiness and excitement. He had the chance to do something kind for his friend. He ran all the way to Sophia’s house, feeling proud of himself for being a good friend.
When he got to Sophia’s house, he gave her the teddy bear and apologized for not listening to her earlier in the day. Sophia hugged him and forgave him, and they spent the rest of the afternoon playing together.
As Marco lay in bed that night, he thought about what had happened that day. He realized that it wasn’t always about him and that sometimes, it was important to
think about others. He made a promise to himself to be a better friend and to always be there for his classmates.
From that day on, Marco was a different person. He listened more, shared more, and was kinder to everyone around him. He learned that it was important to be a good friend, even when he didn’t feel like it. And he knew that he had made a difference in Sophia’s life, and that made him feel happy and proud.
