One Hundred Thousand Bedtime Stories

Introduction to Ten Thousand Bedside Stories Every late night, there should be a story by your pillow to catch your feelings: perhaps the warmth hidden in the extra half-ladle of hot noodle soup the shop owner gives you beneath the streetlamp at the alley's entrance; the healing comfort of soft fur brushing your palm as a cat rubs against you while you curl up on the sofa after a breakup; the growth you suddenly understand when you look up and see the stars outside the window after working overtime alone until dawn for the first time; the little thrill of your lover's fingertips gently curling around your palm as the evening breeze drifts across the balcony; the passion of getting covered in mud while chasing what you love, yet still keeping your fists clenched; or the responsibility tucked into your tired voice as you quietly reassure your family far away that you're safe. This is a collection of short stories filled with little slices of life. There are no drawn-out plots, just stories of exactly the right length to soothe your heart. Some are like warm milk, comforting you all the way down to your stomach; some are like strings of tiny lights, illuminating the little hopes you keep tucked away; some are like a gentle pat on the back, helping you shed the day's fatigue; and some are like a tiny spark, quietly igniting your courage for tomorrow. Whether you lie down worn out from the day's troubles or stay awake with a jumble of little worries on your mind, there's always a story that can settle right beside you. It won't rush you to grow up, only keep you company as you take it all in; it won't tell you to be strong, only help you hold the softness you couldn't put into words. Ten thousand stories are really ten thousand tender ways of saying, “Someone understands you.” Start with the first one tonight, and let it help you sleep well and grow at your own pace.