Sometimes, growing older brings with it a treasure chest of memories — the faces we’ve met, the stories we’ve carried, and the courage we’ve witnessed along the way. For me, one such story belongs to a little girl named Scarlett Harkins.

Three years ago, on a July evening meant for celebration, Scarlett’s life changed in an instant. She was just four years old when teenagers fired off errant fireworks in a Homewood, Alabama parking lot, just before the Thunder on the Mountain show. One struck Scarlett, leaving her blind in her left eye. For her parents, for her community, and for anyone who has ever loved a child, the moment was devastating. What should have been a night of joy and fireworks turned into years of hospital visits, tears, and questions with no easy answers.

And yet, Scarlett’s story is not one of defeat.

Now seven years old and in the second grade in Irondale, Alabama, Scarlett has proven that a single spark of faith can burn brighter than any tragedy. Her mother, Abbie, told me recently, “Scarlett’s eyesight is no better, but she’s caught the softball bug and is very excited.” With a glove on her hand and determination in her heart, she has found joy in a game that demands focus, timing, and courage — qualities she has in abundance.

For a child living with the loss of sight in one eye, softball is no easy pursuit. It requires depth perception, sharp coordination, and resilience against fear. But Scarlett, instead of shrinking back, has leaned forward into the challenge. Each time she steps onto the field, she reminds the world — and maybe even herself — that life after tragedy is not just about surviving. It is about thriving.

Her dreams stretch far beyond the ballfield. From the time she was small, Scarlett has spoken of wanting to become a doctor, a dream that may seem complicated by her injury but one that remains alive in her imagination. And perhaps that’s the most powerful part of her journey: she has not allowed the limits placed upon her to define her vision for the future. She still believes in possibility, and she still believes in herself.

When you meet children like Scarlett, you realize that the lessons they teach us are greater than any we could ever hope to teach them. She has already shown, at just seven years old, that strength is not about avoiding hardship but about rising through it. That joy is not the absence of pain but the courage to keep smiling in spite of it. And that faith, even in the smallest hearts, can shine with a brilliance strong enough to light the way for everyone watching.

Her journey is still unfolding. There will be hurdles, there will be days when the loss feels heavy, and there will be moments of doubt. But if the past three years are any indication, Scarlett will continue to show us all how to keep moving forward. She may not see the world the way she once did, but in many ways, she sees it more clearly than most of us ever will.

May her softball field always be filled with laughter.
May her classroom always echo with possibility.
And may her dreams — whether of medicine, softball, or something entirely new — carry her into a future as bright as her spirit.

Because sometimes, even when darkness comes, there are children like Scarlett who remind us that nothing can put out the light within.