5. What truly matters is invisible to the eyes

Ten years ago, I began writing a series of stories known as the Samuel Stories, designed as educational and therapeutic narratives to help individuals manage conflict more effectively. Below, you can explore one of the Samuel stories titled "What Truly Matters Is Invisible to the Eyes."

Samuel's story continues...

The warm glow of the fireplace filled the room, bringing a sense of comfort and hope to the small, secluded forest cottage under the night’s cover. I watched the embers dance, each one striving to reach higher than the last. Their proud flicker reminded me of my grandfather, who would sit by the fire with his pipe, drawing in fragrant puffs of tobacco. I loved those moments on his lap by the hearth, listening intently, as he always had something wise and new to share.

"Samuel, my boy," my grandfather said, his voice rising gently above the crackling embers. He placed his large hand over my heart, looked deeply into my eyes with his bright blue gaze, and continued:

“You know, Samuel, you can only truly see with your heart.” I didn't quite understand what it meant to see with my heart, so I gazed into my grandfather’s eyes, nodding in confusion.

My grandfather began tracing shapes in the ashes that had scattered from the fireplace, using his large index finger. In just a few moments, the outline of a small house—a humble hut—started to take form.

"Do you see this house, Samuel? In a similar little home lived a boy whose mother fell ill. With nothing to eat, he worked despite his frail nature, but he never gave up. Each time he looked into his mother’s weary eyes, he drew strength to carry on. That boy saw with his heart."

"I looked deeply within myself, imagining how the boy saw with his heart, and suddenly, I understood my grandfather’s message: the boy felt the need with his heart. Filled with joy, I looked into my grandfather’s round, wise eyes and exclaimed:"

"Grandfather! Now I understand what it means to see with my heart! And I also realized that if the boy had only thought about himself, he wouldn’t have been able to see with his heart!"

“Well answered, Samuel," his grandfather replied, his eyes gleaming. "To truly see what matters, you must protect your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. By keeping your heart pure, you will always recognize what is truly important."

In the flicker of the firelight, Samuel discovered that true insight stems from seeing with the heart. His grandfather taught him that to truly understand another's struggle, we must look beyond our own concerns and embrace empathy. Just as the boy in the story drew strength from caring for his mother, we too can transform conflicts into opportunities for connection when we prioritize compassion and clarity in our communication. It is through this heartfelt understanding that we can heal divisions and foster meaningful relationships.

This story was first published in Hungarian on December 29, 2017, on this blog: https://melzerandi.blogspot.com/2017/12/ami-igazan-fontos-az-szemnek-lathatatlan.html  where it continues to resonate with readers exploring themes of trauma-informed conflict management.