Amer and Maher were brothers who loved each other dearly, moving through life like inseparable friends. They never quarreled or fell out; Maher was always at the top of his class, as was Amer. They were rarely apart, except for the brief moments when each turned to his own special hobby. Amer’s passion was to gaze at the sky, learning the names and positions of the stars, dreaming of one day becoming an astronaut. Maher, meanwhile, searched the earth, excavating for a radiant silver stone he had heard stories about.
He hoped to become a scientist in the future. Since birth, the two children had lived in an oil exploration and drilling region within a bustling industrial city—an environment that provided both the natural and scientific atmosphere they needed to thrive. Both became deeply attached to their hobbies, encouraged by their parents and family friends who were scientists and experts. One spring night, as the sky grew heavy with dark clouds, the two children returned from school, exhausted.
Maher said to Amer, “You won’t be looking toward the sky tonight; you won’t see your stars or constellations behind those clouds.” Amer replied, “And you are rushing your pace as if you don’t care about the stones you might find.” They both laughed, knowing well that this was no time for hobbies; exams were just around the corner, and they had to focus on their studies. Besides, the weather that day was hardly inviting. After they finished studying and went to bed, a storm erupted. Fierce winds carried grains of dust that blanketed the region in a thick layer, covering it like a heavy cloak.
Maher, the younger brother, hopped over to Amer’s bed. Amer was watching the lightning flash and fade. Maher laughed and asked, “Are you afraid of the storm, Amer? I’ve never known you to be a coward.” Startled, Amer replied, “No, I’m just feeling cold.” Maher suggested, “Why don’t we talk for a bit before we sleep?” Amer agreed, “Alright, I’ll tell you about my star—the one I saw only once last summer before it disappeared. Do you remember that night we went into the desert with the scientists?” Maher answered, “Yes, I remember. And have you forgotten that radiant stone I glimpsed in the depths of that oil well?” The two continued to talk until they fell asleep. In his sleep, despite the storm, Amer found himself in the heart of the desert.
Similarly, Maher found himself dangling by a sturdy rope into the depths of a well. He gripped the silver stone with both hands, shouting, “I found it! I found it! It’s mine!” Despite the dust falling over him, he struggled to climb out, clutching his precious stone and determined not to let it slip from his grasp. They slept this way through the night. When they woke up, each began to tell the other what he had seen in his dream. Their father entered the room to check on them, and seeing them silent and solemn, he wondered what was wrong. Amer asked, “Do dreams come true, Father?” and Maher asked, “Is it really possible to find radiant silver stones?”
Since the father knew his children’s hobbies well, he replied, “If one pursues their dreams with determination, they must come true. Moreover, nature is incredibly rich with minerals, and humanity discovers its treasures every single day.”