| Wherever she turned to look, flowers bloomed in response to her gaze. Whenever people spoke, she could see the beauty of the heart within the speaker. Pearls would fall from their mouths into her outstretched hands. She strung these pearls through long strands of her hair, draping them around herself, her home and even dangling them from the trees. Her interior life was filled with such joy. Her eyes only saw beauty, such magnificent beauty, until one day a cloud spread throughout the land. It was called ‘The Cloud of Forgetfulness’. At first she hardly noticed the effect, a slight slip of memory, then more, until one day she could not remember beauty anymore. She found that she had come to rely on the memories of others, who sadly, like her, had forgotten. The forgetfulness was like a blindness and yet even though she stumbled, there was a small part of her, a very, very tiny part of her, that could never really forget. It was so small that it wasn’t even a memory. It was just a feeling. It represented the part of her that had always believed in ‘The Power of Beauty’. Though, come what may, she knew it would be enough. She felt a surge of hope and whenever she needed comfort, she remembered to feel the feeling. The feeling was her special friend and her secret treasure. Early one morning, when she was by herself, she decided to speak to the feeling within her. She asked it, “Who are you? And why are you here within me?” At first it did not reply… She waited and when she was on the verge of losing patience, it spoke to her. “I am the here and now, and the promise of sweetness to come. I am here to guide you and through being guided, you will guide others.” Upon hearing these words she relaxed for the first time in a very, very long time. She felt her shoulder muscles loosen. And as she walked, she felt herself glide gracefully across the dew-laden grass. “Yes,” she said to herself, “I do believe.” And in that moment, a tree beside her burst into bloom. What a spectacular display of beauty! The flowers were exquisitely shaped with many varied and delicate hues. Her face shone as she wept tears of pure joy. The tears glistened as they slid down her cheeks, mysteriously changing into diamonds as they tumbled gently to the ground. She swooped to pick one up and placed it in the palm of her hand, reflectingly turning it over and over. She felt awe, “How is this possible?” she wondered to herself. She looked up. People were walking towards her. It was as if they had been drawn to her magnetically. They were smiling and talking quietly amongst themselves. ‘The Power of Beauty’ radiated from within her and through her the knowledge burst like a plume of a fountain, once again, to be shared by one and all.
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