'There are many paths to enlightenment - their teachings rich and varied, offering wisdom and 'food for thought', and everything we need for our journey to awakening lies within us. In the beginning, spirituality appears like a bud on a bloom, opening gradually, tempting us with a glimpse of its splendour and unfathomable depths. It is here we create the blueprint for our collective existence.'

IT IS a contemplative essay on life, and appears in Many Dreams, One World, a book featuring works of primary school pupils.

But two parents who read the 440-word piece, entitled The Journey Of Life, were not convinced it was the work of a 12-year-old.

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