How does the fear of failure and loss affect our determination?

In the children’s book, The Heart and the Bottle written by Oliver Jeffers, a young girl was once full of thoughts and curiosity. She decides that “the best thing” to do is to place her heart in a bottle when she faces the loss of a father figure. All the curiosity that once bubbled inside of her disappears “but at least her heart [is] safe.” She no longer asks questions, longs for answers, or wonders about the world. Years pass and the girl, who is now older, meets someone smaller; she is still curious about the world. This influences the girl, reminding her of her younger self. She decides that it’s time to put her heart back, but because she stopped wondering and searching she has forgotten how and needs the help of someone smaller and still curious. By doing this, she finds the part of herself filled with curiosity and fills the void within herself. She sits reading in her father’s chair, reading and wondering once again at peace. This story shows that, even when faced with a great deal of loss, sometimes one needs the help of others to overcome their struggle and pain to find their happiness and bring back their curiosity. 

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