Today was no different then any other day. The sun was out early, the air was crisp yet something was odd Mama noticed.

Ceri, her 4 year old daughter, was normally talking to herself in some imaginary world with numerous imaginary friends, entertaining by way of a tea party, concert of some kind or holding a seminar on how to take care of a puppy. Today when Mama walked in her room she saw a girl with sad shoulders. Ceri was in the corner of her room in a crouch position with her head between her legs. Not crying mind you but enough to make Mama concerned for her baby girl.

“What’s wrong Ceri? How come you are not playing or laughing or even smiling….This is not like you.” Ceri raised her head slowly and whispered in a voice that had swallowed too many cry breaths “Mama….It did not come today.” “What did not come today asked her Mama”, trying to
recount if anthing was being delivered and could not for the life of her think of anything.

“My package, My package, the one that I had to send away for that costed $5 dollars plus shipping.” This was the first mama had heard of such a thing. “When did you send money through the mail?” Ceri put her head back in her arms and started to sob. It had taken her a month to save that money. All she wanted was to be like the girl in the newspaper who had the most beautiful hair and the sparkliest clothes. The advertisement said that for $5 she could have all of that and more.

Ceri did not like to be the one at school that was “different”. All she ever wanted was to blend in, be like all the other girls but instead her Mama wanted her to go to differnet stores and wear unique things, whatever that meant. This package was going to fix everything.

Mama noticed that underneath the seat of Ceri’s pants was this advertisement. She asked Ceri to see it and what she saw made her very upset. She was looking at a print ad that made a 4 year old girl feel that she wasn’t great enough without this mail away package that contained a magical brush, fake hair, fake eyelashes and a tonne of make-up.

Mama had tears in her eyes the next time she looked up at Ceri. Ceri saw her Mama upset and asked why she was sad. It took awhile for Mama to get it together. She placed both her hands around Ceri’s face, cupping it, admiring her beauty and said

You are my most beautiful girl. You were born beautiful and as long as you feel beautiful you will be beautiful both inside and out. There is no quick fix in life. Money can not buy you happiness. This package is nothing but lies and this lie took your money.

Put hope in yourself and belief in your heart.

Every day you wake up happy with yoursself and comfortable being you Ceri, is a day the package came…the real package, the gift of happiness.

Ceri nuzzled her Mama and held her tight for a very long time. The next day and every other day that she woke up she remembered that the package did not need to come – she had already been given her gift, She was happy with herself.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!