My "sister" (whom I have known for almost 11 years now) is a student and she is studying to be a teacher. She had to write a book with pictures, of course. She sent me the story yesterday. I have read it twice now. Cried twice. To me, it is the best present I have ever received.

"Once upon a time, not so very far away, there was a kingdom. The kingdom wasn’t anything special; nothing too noteworthy had ever taken place there. It was just another common, ordinary, everyday kingdom.

Now in this kingdom a princess was born; a small girl that, at first glance, could be deemed as ordinary as her surroundings. It was only when a closer look was taken that her true potential was revealed. Her smile emanated colors, her eyes promised the extraordinary, and her actions screamed you wouldn’t be let down.

Time passed, and the princess spent most of it exploring her kingdom and the vast surrounding area. She loved everything about the outdoors. She could spend hours swimming in the lake, walking in the tall grasses, or watching the sunset and the stars come out to illuminate the sky. The more time she spent exploring the more she wondered what lay outside her kingdom. She wondered until her curiosity got the best of her. So, she said her goodbyes and was off to see what the rest of the world had to offer.

Her journey took her through the sky, along beaches, down ravines, and through forests. She saw and experienced everything she could for the simple reason was she could. During the course of her journey, she met many interesting people and renewed acquaintances with old. People seemed to be drawn to the colors that surrounded her. She loved the sights, the cultures, and the history of the new lands she explored, but she knew in her heart it was time to go home. So she packed her bags and retraced her steps through the forests, up the ravines, along the beaches, and through the sky until she reached her kingdom. When she arrived, she was greeted by friends and family alike and for awhile she was content, but her need for something more soon became evident. She chose for her new adventure to go to school. Her studies lead her in the direction of chemistry. She studied, time flew, and before she knew it, she was graduating.

The day before her graduation, she tried on outfit after outfit after outfit before deciding on the perfect one, which she wore to her graduation and her after party. She smiled for pictures, talked to her friends, and treasured the moment secretly, realizing it wouldn’t be long before her contentment would disappear. It would be time to start a new chapter in her life, for she was of the new age of princesses. She was a princess who would never be content to live happily ever after; she would have to live happily for the moment and that would be enough."

And she said WITH the pictures it is better... I can't imagine!