Ray the Sunbeam and the Long Way to Wake Up

Chapter 1: A sunbeam’s journey from the sun to a child’s window

Far, far away, in the fiery heart of the Sun, a tiny sunbeam named Ray was born in a burst of golden light.

Ray was small, but he was quick, and he was full of one very big idea.

"I'm going to wake somebody up," he announced to the other sunbeams. "Somebody special. Somebody who needs a bright good morning."

"It's a very long way," said Old Beam, a wise, warm ray who had traveled the sky for millions of mornings. "Ninety-three million miles, to be exact."

"That sounds like a lot," said Ray.

"It is," chuckled Old Beam. "But light is a fast traveler. And every journey is made of small steps. Come, I'll show you the way."

Ray darted out of the Sun and into the great, dark, silent sky.

It was so quiet in space. There were no birds or breezes, only twinkling stars far away and a vast, velvet emptiness. Ray felt a little shiver of loneliness.

"Keep going," called Old Beam from behind. "You are never alone. Look around."

Ray looked. Thousands of other sunbeams were streaming beside him in every direction, a river of light flowing toward the world.