The path of lighting. 

"What's the name of this path?" Alejandro asked the old woman who was sitting at the foot of the huge oak that divided the path. She, with eyes tired of the passage of time, looked up from her sewing work and smiled kindly. "It's called the way of lighting," he replied. "But why?" The boy insisted, eager to discover the secret that hid the shadow that pursued him.

The old woman was silent for a moment, watching the child's worried face. "Because in this path," he said with a sigh, "those who enter must face the most hidden parts of themselves. You must carefully choose, Alejandro, because every step you will make a decision that will model your destiny."

With the determination of a warrior, Alejandro entered the forest. The illuminated path attracted him with his brightness and whispers of promises of greatness and happiness. However, the path of the shadows called him at his own pace, showing flashes of bright colors that seemed to leave a distant carnival.

Maria, Alejandro's friend, watched the scene hidden. She knew that this path was dangerous, that the powerful shadows that were entangled in travelers could drag them into madness. His older brothers told him stories of people who were lost and never returned.

Alejandro walked decisively on the illuminated path, every step full of confidence. Around it, the forest seemed cozy and full of life. The birds singing gave him the feeling that everything was going to work out. While in the distance, the road of the shadows throbbing with a life of its own, with flashing lights that resembled those of the neon at night.

Maria, on the other hand, approached the old woman who now stared at her. "Why did Alejandro chose the way he chose?" He interrogated him. The old woman smiled, showing a row of yellow tooth. "Because each of us," he said, "fight against his own demons. Alejandro seeks the light, the solution to all his ills, without realizing that the path he chose is the one that will show him his true face."

Maria filled with fear when listening to the old woman's words. She knew that Alejandro was brave, that she could face her fears. But the fear of addiction that was curled in the veins of her own family made her doubt. His older brothers, who once resembled Alejandro in his innocence, became shadows that stalked her every night.

With his heart beating in his chest, he decided that he could not leave Alejandro in front of him. With the firm decision to be the light that his friend could not see, he entered the forest, following the shine track that attracted him. She did not know where she would lead him, just that she had to protect him.

But the light that Alejandro perceived began to distort himself, to become blinding. Suddenly, the shadows became real, taking the form of their greatest fears. It stopped dry, agitated breathing.

"Why do they scare me?" He told himself. "They are just shadows, they shouldn't matter."

But the figures approached, whispers of doubts and concerns that resonated in their mind. He turned around, craving the warmth of the shadow that offered him the path he did not choose. The flashing neon invited him, promised to free him from the pressure from the perfection that drown him.

Maria, on the road to the shadows, ran into Alejandro's figure, now an exaggerated cartoon of her ideal self. "What's the matter?" He shouted at him, trying to listen to his friend over the noise of the carnival that surrounded him.

Alejandro looked at her without seeing her, smiling in the light that clouded her mind. "I'm fine," he said, without realizing that his eyes shone with a false light. "This is what I wanted, what I deserve."

Maria noticed the tension on her shoulders, the rigidity in her movements. She knew that her friend was not happy, that she got tangled up on the network of her own addiction. With trembling hands, he extended his, offering a bridge between light and darkness.

With a supreme effort, Alejandro took Maria's hand. The earth under his feet shuddered, and the shadows vanished in the gloom. Together, they entered into the darkness of the road of the shadows, the light that Alejandro once yearned now looked distant and misleading.

As they advanced, the life of the forest became real, palpable. The air was dense with the stories of those who walked there, the sorrows and joys that were intertwined with the roots of the trees. Alejandro and Maria faced their own fears, every step an act of courage.

The old woman, who watched them in the distance, nodded. They not only chose the right path; They chose to grow. Now, the shadow that persecuted them vanished, replaced by the light of understanding.

Together, Alejandro and Maria toured the path of the shadows, healing the wounds of the past. Each scar that was cured as they advanced allowed them to see more clearly who they really were, free of addiction and the expectations that tormented them.

When leaving the forest, the sun welcomed them, their faces illuminated by the light of dawn. The life that awaited them was uncertain, full of challenges and decisions. But now, armed with the wisdom of the forest, they knew they could face them with courage.

His friendship was strengthened, he became inseparable. Together, they would become the light that illuminated the path of others, showing that life was not only a straight path, but an adventure full of bifurcations and options.

And in the book store of Mr. Castillo, the couple of friends would discover stories that would reflect their own trips, stories that would remind them that life was a constant struggle for the light in which we all had to participate. Alejandro and Maria would spend hours there, sharing their experiences, their fears and their triumphs.

One day, Alejandro brought a story that his grandfather told him, about a magical mirror that reflected the hidden truth in each one's soul. Mr. Castillo listened carefully, and his face lit up with the idea. "That story," he said, "is the key to understanding life."

With the help of the old man, the two friends undertook the search for their own truth. Every page they read turned a mirror, showing the hidden faces of their hearts. Alejandro faced his own vanity and the fear of disappointment, While Maria reconciled with her shyness and the shadow that accompanied her.

Together, in the refuge of stories, they discovered that life was not a simple choice between light and darkness. It was a winding path that combined both, and the real challenge was to learn to accept the parts of one that hid in the gloom.

With each page that revolved, Alejandro and Maria approached understanding. The magical mirror was not a treasure that was at the end of a road, but a tool that they could load on their own trip. And as the sunlight was leaked through the windows of the premises, reflecting on the shelves full of books, I knew that the life that awaited them was a self -knowledge and growth, not of the evasion of the shadows. With each adventure that lived through the pages of the books, the two children grew, each illuminating the life of the other. Their friendship was strengthened, and the shadow that once separated them became a bond that united them, a constant reminder that the light was only when accepting the darkness.

And on each page they read, life became a mirror. Alejandro learned to love in his shadow, to see her not as a defect, but as an opportunity to grow. And Maria, who once hid behind the shadows of shyness, discovered that the light of her courage could illuminate the road not only for her, but for all those around her.

Beyond the forest, the road continued, and with every step they took, life became a mirror. Alejandro and Maria would face life with the wisdom that reading gave them, knowing that the light and shadow will coexist in every human being, and that the key was to learn to balance both.

The magical mirror of the story became a symbol of his friendship, a reminder that life was a mirror that reflected what we allowed us to. And in the heat of the summer, sitting on the sidewalk of the book store, they would share stories that would make them laugh, cry and reflect, stories that would make them stronger, wiser.

Alejandro and Maria realized that life was a mirror that reflected their decisions. Each path taken, every shadow faced, every light discovered, formed the image that the mirror reflected. And as the mirror became clearer, their hearts were filled with light.

And the old woman, sitting at the foot of the oak, smiled. 

By Carlos del Puente relatos,