Masiba peered through the chink of the curtains at the sunlight. The radiant beams failed to illuminate his brooding mind.

Masiba was discontent with his life. When situations seemed to spiral out of control; or people acted not always favourably, he felt despondent. That day, as he went out for his customary walk, he stumbled on something.

The culprit was a stone; rather, an amber-like chip off a stone. Something intangible drew Masiba towards the ’chip’ and he picked it up. Instantaneously, the chip became suffused with a soft glow and black ridges became visible on it. Masiba was convinced the object was magical. Sure enough, the chip’s potency revealed itself in no time. Masiba only had to hold it in his palm, and circumstances changed according to his wishes. Still unsatisfied, Masiba used it to alter the nature of people around him.

While basking in his newfound power, he became aware of a startling fact. The more he tweaked reality, the more it changed in a myriad different ways than he had anticipated. As his plans unravelled, Masiba grew pensive and realised that distorting his surroundings yielded problems, not solutions.

He then attempted to change the only thing he could - himself. Relying less on the chip, and more on his willpower, Masiba transformed his own perceptions. By doing so, he attained much contentment and was ready to relinquish the chip. But how could he, when he knew of the terrible power it held?

Nothing but a worthy sacrifice could destroy the chip forever. So Masiba offered no less than his soul - now purified and free from misconceptions.

He was not there to witness it; but the moment Masiba’s good thoughts touched the chip, it clarified. The black ridges on it vanished and the chip became an object hitherto unknown.

It had transfigured into a mirror, the clearest reflecting surface, which reminds us that our reality is constant until we change the face in the mirror - ourselves.