🌼Liway and the Waiting Light 🌼
Liway and the Waiting Light. © Ariel Macaspac Hernandez. 2026. All Rights Reserved.
Liway and the Waiting Light
Long ago, in a peaceful mangrove forest where the rivers met the sea, thousands of fireflies danced every evening. As the sun disappeared, tiny lights flickered among the trees, turning the forest into a sky full of little stars.
One rainy season, a tiny firefly was born.
Her parents named her Liway, after the first light of dawn.
"Why Liway?" the other fireflies asked.
Ligaya, her mother smiled.
"Because dawn never rushes. It arrives exactly when the world needs its light."
As Liway grew, all the young fireflies began learning how to make their lanterns glow.
One by one, they lit up the evening.
Golden.
Green.
Silver.
The forest sparkled with laughter.
Only Liway remained dark.
She tried every night.
She flapped her wings faster.
She took deeper breaths.
She wished upon the stars.
Nothing happened.
Some young fireflies whispered,
"Perhaps she will never shine."
Others stopped inviting her to the evening dances.
Although they were not cruel, Liway often felt left behind.
One evening, she sat quietly beside an old mangrove tree.
A familiar shadow glided gently through the twilight.
It was Lolo Dunong.
The old owl settled gently on a branch above her.
"Why are you crying, little one?" Lolo Dunong asked.
"My light never comes," Liway whispered.
The old owl looked towards the sea.
"Not every light is meant to appear at sunset."
“Some lights wait for the darkest night.”
Liway did not understand.
Soon, the skies began to change.
Dark clouds gathered over the ocean.
The wind carried the scent of rain.
The crabs dug deeper into the mud.
The tailorbirds flew inland.
Even the mangrove trees bent as though listening to the sea.
The elders spoke in quiet voices.
"A great typhoon, stronger than any in many seasons, is crossing the sea."
When the storm arrived, it was fiercer than anyone had imagined.
Rain poured sideways.
Winds howled through the forest.
Branches snapped.
The river overflowed.
The young fireflies tried to guide frightened animals with their lights.
But the rain was too heavy.
One by one, their lights disappeared.
The forest became darker than any night before.
Liway still had no light.
Yet she refused to hide.
She helped a frightened snail climb onto a floating branch.
She carried tiny ants to higher roots.
She comforted a young frog separated from its family.
She kept telling everyone,
"Stay together. We will find our way."
Then a cry echoed through the storm.
A family of young tailorbirds was trapped inside a hollow tree as the water rose.
No one could see where they were.
The rain swallowed every light.
Without thinking of herself, Liway flew into the darkness.
She did not wish for a light.
She wished only to save them.
And at that very moment, something warm awakened inside her.
A tiny golden glow appeared.
Then it grew brighter. Brighter than the moon reflected on the river. Brighter than a thousand fireflies dancing together.
Until the entire mangrove forest shimmered with a gentle light that neither wind nor rain could extinguish.
Every creature looked up.
"There is Liway!"
Her light guided the sparrow family to safety.
It led the frightened animals to the tallest mangrove roots.
It helped neighbours find one another again.
When morning finally arrived, the storm had passed.
The forest had changed.
Some branches had fallen.
Leaves covered the ground.
But every creature was alive.
Lolo Dunong smiled at Liway.
"Now you understand."
Liway looked at her glowing lantern.
"I was never late," she whispered.
"No," said Lolo Dunong.
"You became the light the storm would need."
From that day forward, whenever a young firefly worried because its lantern had not yet begun to shine, the elders would tell the story of Liway.
“Remember Liway,” the elders would say.
"Dawn is never late. It arrives exactly when the world needs its light."
Thanks to Luigi for taking the photos of me