Lala had always dreamed of visiting the beach. Growing up in the city, she had only seen the ocean in books and on television. So when her family planned a weekend getaway to the seaside, she could hardly contain her excitement.
On the first morning, she raced to the shore with her small bucket and shovel, ready to build the biggest sandcastle ever. The salty breeze brushed her cheeks, and the waves whispered softly as they kissed the sand. Lala giggled with delight, running barefoot along the tide.
As she dug near the water’s edge, something caught her eye — a small, strange creature scuttling sideways. It had a hard shell, long claws, and eyes that seemed to stare right at her. Lala froze.
“Aaaah!” she screamed, stumbling backward and dropping her shovel. Her heart raced. She had never seen anything like it. Was it dangerous? Would it pinch her?
Her mom came running over. “What happened, Lala?”
“There’s a monster in the sand!” she cried, pointing.
Her mom laughed gently. “That’s not a monster, sweetheart. That’s a sea crab. They live by the ocean and won’t hurt you if you leave them alone.”
Still a little shaken, Lala crouched down cautiously. Her curiosity took over. She watched the crab shuffle sideways, digging a tiny hole in the wet sand. It looked more funny than frightening now.
“Can I touch it?” she whispered.
“Gently,” her mom said.
Lala reached out, slowly and carefully, letting her fingers brush the edge of its shell. The crab paused, then continued on its way, unfazed. Lala giggled.
By the end of the day, she had spotted five more crabs, given each one a name, and even drawn a crab flag for her sandcastle. What began as panic had turned into fascination.
Lala learned that day that sometimes, the things that scare us at first can become the most interesting — if only we’re brave enough to look again.
