The Boy Who Only Saw the Holes

The Character & The Setup Barnaby Button is a cheerful, but perpetually dissatisfied boy. He owns the most wonderful, cozy, rainbow-striped sweater in the world—it's soft, it's warm, and it has deep pockets perfect for acorns and marbles. But Barnaby doesn't see the stripes or the warmth. He only ever notices the tiny, microscopic holes that pop up occasionally. The Conflict Barnaby becomes obsessed with the flaws. He pokes at the small snags and frowns. One windy day, he complains to his grandmother, "This sweater is awful! Look! A hole the size of a pea! It's ruined!" His wise Grandmother doesn't scold him. Instead, she gives him a brand-new, perfectly smooth, shimmering Silver Sweater. It has no holes, no snags, and feels silky. "There," she says. "Wear this one today, Barnaby. It's flawless." The Journey Barnaby is thrilled! He puts on the Silver Sweater and goes to the park. The Slide Test: He tries to go down the bumpy wooden slide. SCRRATCH! The delicate Silver Sweater catches on the wood. It’s too slippery and stiff to play in. He has to take it off to slide. The Acorn Test: He tries to put his favorite smooth acorn into his pocket. CLINK! The Silver Sweater's pockets are flat and shallow; the acorn falls right out onto the dirt. The Cuddle Test: A friend offers him a high-five. The Silver Sweater feels cold and hard. It doesn't invite hugs or snuggles like the old rainbow one. Barnaby realizes that while the Silver Sweater is perfect, it’s also useless for real life. It can't be played in, it can't hold treasures, and it certainly can't keep him truly warm. The Climax & The Moral Barnaby rushes home and grabs his old Rainbow Sweater. He hugs it tight. "Grandmother," he says, "The Silver Sweater has no holes, but it's terrible! My old sweater has a few tiny holes, but it has the best pockets, the best colors, and the best warmth for hugging." He looks closely at the tiny pea-sized hole and realizes that it's actually where he accidentally caught it on a rosebush while helping his neighbor. The "flaw" was actually part of a happy memory. The Strong and Clear Moral: The grandmother smiles and says, "That's right, Barnaby. Life is like that sweater. If you only look for the tiny holes—the things that are wrong—you miss all the wonderful, colorful, cozy, and warm things it gives you. Gratitude is deciding to look at the stripes and the warmth, not the holes." From that day on, Barnaby still saw the holes, but he would immediately follow it up by hugging his sweater and remembering all the wonderful things it did for him.