Selenga was lying in bed.
Her eyes were closed. But sleep hadn't come yet.
Sounds drifted in from outside. Clattering from the kitchen. The sound of running water. Then...
“Selenga, are you asleep?”
Her mother's voice.
The Most Beautiful Sound
Selenga wondered: Why is my mother's voice so beautiful?
Music was beautiful. Bird songs were beautiful. The sound of rain was beautiful.
But her mother's voice was different.
It wasn't like any other sound.
"No, Mom, I'm still awake," Selenga said.
The door opened. Her mother came in and sat on the edge of the bed.
“What were you thinking about?”
“Your voice.”
“My voice?”
“Yes. Why is your voice so beautiful?”
What Mother Said
Her mother thought for a moment.
“Maybe because it was the first voice you heard when you came into the world,” she said.
“Really?”
“When the doctors brought you to me, I spoke. The first thing I said was your name. Selenga.”
Selenga thought about that word. The way her mother said her own name.
“Selenga,” her mother said again now.
It was different. Nobody else said it that way.
Carrying Her Voice Inside
“Mom,” Selenga said. “When I go to school, I miss you.”
“I know.”
“But I carry your voice with me inside.”
“How?”
"I don't know. But when things get hard, I think of your voice. And it helps."
Her mother stroked her hair.
“I do the same thing.”
“You do?”
"When you're not home, I think of your voice. And I smile."
As Sleep Comes
Her mother stood up.
“Time to sleep now.”
“Mom?”
“Mm?”
“Will you say something else?”
“What should I say?”
“Anything. I just want to hear your voice.”
Her mother thought for a moment. Then she whispered:
“I love you so much, Selenga. More than anything else in the whole world.”
Selenga closed her eyes.
Her mother's voice stayed inside her.
And she slept.
A Note for Parents
Read this story aloud to your child—slowly, warmly, and softly. Your child will remember your voice more than the words themselves. Make that final sentence real and heartfelt.