Jelly Bean’s Light of Life

By Marigold McElliot

A 2026 Story Challenge Winner 

Jelly was a young boy, around 16 years of age, with brown hair, and green sparkling eyes. His mother, while pregnant, was eating around 2 gallons of jelly per day, resulting him to be named “Jelly” because of his mother’s obscure diet. 

Jelly walked down the empty street. It was fall, orange leaves fell softly onto the ground, the birds chirping, and yet barely any sound. This city has been known for its isolation, because no one is actively involved in the community, let alone socializing with neighbors. Even though many lived in isolation, that doesn’t mean that the streets were supposed to be dirty, dusty, and 

full of leaves and rodents. The citizens, while they live in isolation, they do care about their community, their house, and their lawns. 

Jelly walked to a monastery. This monastery was the monastery that changed the whole city. Before the monastery was built, the streets were loud, chaotic, dirty, and messy. Yet when the monks started moving to that monastery, they requested the villagers to quiet down and be gentle, and take more care of the environment. Astonished by their holiness, the villagers agreed. Though many were upset, they got money to move elsewhere. 

Jelly knocked on the door. “Yess??” boomed the doorman. 

“Sir, can I enter to talk to one of the monks?” 

“You may. Here you go. Who do you want to see?” 

“Anyone, sir. I have no preference.” 

“Alright. Here. Let me lead you to one of the monks.” 

“Thank you sir.” 

Jelly and the doorman found a monk, and the doorman said, “This is…erm, ah what is your name?” referring to Jelly.

“Jelly sir.” 

“Like a jelly bean?” 

“Yes sir. Just that.” 

The doorman announced, “Here Mr. Joeman. Presenting you Jelly Bean, who has come here to talk with one of the monks.” After saying this, the doorman departed. “Hi sir… I think you are… Mr. Joeman, right?” 

“Yes. What art thou here for?” 

“I am here to tell you that I think this city needs community.” 

“Community? What is a community?” 

“A place where one knows a lot of people and is actively involved in the community affairs, sir.” 

“Eh? We monks have communities too. But just not so social. We focus on studying and a deeper relationship with God.” 

“In summary, I am just here to tell you communities are sometimes better than isolation, sir.” 

“Why did you break in our holy prayer time with such a useless sentence?” “Your doorman let me in, sir.” 

“Alright. The doorman who doesn’t know our schedules. Okay. What else?” “Nothing else sir. Thank you for letting me deliver my message.” 

“Alrighty. God bless.” 

Jelly walked slowly through the halls of the monastery and back out. But before going out, he told the doorman, “Thank you. See ya next time.” 

“WHO’S THAT?”

“Jelly, sir.” 

“Alright. See ya.” 

Jelly walked out. “Alrighty, message one delivered.” he told himself. He returned to his village, full of community, love for one another, parties, and joy. He kept wondering to himself if he wanted to be like the monks, living in isolation. Yet he loved his place. “Mommy?” he asked one day when he was too troubled by that question to do anything. 

“Yes kiddo??” 

“Me wonder why me live in a community with fun and laughter instead of isolation.” “Cuz you like community right. And also you have friends. Me too. Isolation has a lack of friendship and social.” 

“Alrighty. What would you think if I go and live in isolation?” 

“LIke monks? I don’t care as long as you’re happy.” 

“Alrighty. Up to me. Okay.” His mom went out of his room. 

“Eni mini mini mo. Chattcha tiger in the snow. If he hollers, let him go….” he said to himself after making 2 cards, one with “COMMUNITY!” on it and the other “ISOLATION.” “Hmm. Sounds like the answer is…isolation. Buttttttt I don't think I like isolation. Lets let the answer be community instead. I like community. Love, family, friends, laughter, joy, funny games, all that stuff.” he told himself. He likes talking to himself. Oftentimes he has given incredibly long speeches about countless different things, just because he likes it. He decided to dig deeper into what monastery life was. 

Knock knock. “Yes? Who are you?” boomed a voice from the little cabin next to the door, where the doorman lives and answers the door. 

“Jelly, sir.”

“Oh Jelly! I got some jelly beans for you!!” 

“Thanks. Could I talk to one of the monks who knows a lot about monk life and also not the type who really wants everyone to be monks?” 

“I just got exactly who ya want to talk to!” he brought Jelly down the hall, and knocked on a cell door. 

“Yes? Who’s it?” the monk inside the cell asked. 

“The doorman Grogman, sir.” 

“Okay. Come in.” 

“Sir. Presenting you Jelly, who visited Mr. Joeman on his previous visit.” “Hi. What do you want? What do you want to talk about?” 

“What is it like living here as a monk, sir.” Jelly replied. 

“Alright. Here we go. Grogman, I will signal you after we finish.” 

“To your service, sir!” Grogman replied and ran off, leaving Jelly and the monk alone. “So? Are you interested in monastery life?” 

“Yes sir. I was thinking about which life to lead: isolation type of life or community type of life.” 

“Okay. First, we monks here are just here so that we can leave the world, not physically but spiritually. To talk to God. Greater relationship with Him. Second, for some people, living in a place where you don’t need to think about anything but the thing you choose is very comforting.” 

“Why? I think I want to live in a community.”

“For some people, living in isolation is the best thing in the world. Living in isolation is like putting God in the center of everything and letting go of overthinking relationships, what people say, and most of all, romance.” 

“Can you give me some pros of community?” 

“Yeah. Sure. First, being part of a community is taking up social life which is a very good thing as well as monastery life, taking of social life is in general getting married, having children who will, even though hard to take care of, they will be the light of your lives. It will be the greatest joy, taking care of kids and learning alongside them.” 

“Me want kids. Honest. Me gonna name one of the Jelly Jr.” 

“Possible. Second, community means lots of support from friends, family and even neighbors who you don’t connect much with. Support for family life, support when one is depressed, you name it.” 

“I see. I think the answer is community, then.” 

“Okay. Anything else??” 

“No– not for now. I’ll call you next time when I need help!” 

“Okay. God bless.” he rang for the doorman. 

“To your service, sir.” Grogman said, running in. 

“See you Jelly.” the monk said. 

“Bye!!” Jelly replied, as he was being lead out of the monastery by Grogman. “I suppose you choose community, right?” Grogman asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Welp, tell me when your marriage ceremony is!” 

“Alright. But I don’t have a SINGLE girlfriend right now.”

“No worries. You will find one. I assure you. Before I got married I found 20 people who are like me and I wanted to marry. It was a tough decision.” 

“I hope I don’t get to make THAT decision. Just one girlfriend and if we don’t get along well before getting married to each other, then well end of story. Another girlfriend gets into the scene.” 

“Alright. Here you go, Jelly Bean. You still have the box of jellybeans, right?” “All safe and sound in my pocket, sir.”’ 

“Okay. See ya. Bye.” Jelly left excited that he found his answer, and clear about what is ahead of him for his life. Community. Love. Family. Jelly got married soon after, like 5 years later, and his wife bore him a son, whom he named Jelly Bean Jr. The baby was cute and just as the monk said and Jelly learned a lot, and was a total light to his life.