Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: ENVY (jealousy of another’s advantage) (02/12/15)
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TITLE: Maisie Daisy | Previous Challenge Entry
By Diane M. Bowman
02/19/15 -
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She didn't realize she was actually quite beautiful. Pure white petals surrounded her cheery yellow face. Her stem was a nice, healthy green. Maisie wasn't a very big flower yet, but she grew every day.
When she was a little sprout her gardener, Gertie, planted her in the finest soil money could buy. She gave Maisie all the water and fertilizer she needed. The greenhouse glass stayed squeaky clean, allowing sunlight in. Maisie never had to worry about anything besides growing.
But Maisie wasn't happy.
One day as Gertie was busy watering, Maisie looked up at the monarch flying outside her cozy little greenhouse and muttered wistfully, "If only I'd been born a butterfly, I'd fly away and see the world."
Just then, she noticed something quite odd. Her beautiful white petals were turning green. She began to feel very sick way down inside.
Gertie turned around and seeing poor Maisie's horrified expression said, "Aww, Maisie, I musta forgot t' tell you 'bout the special gift I gave you when you weren't more'n a wee seedlin'. The color of your petals matches how you're feelin'. Your littl' heart's been pure white for so long that it'd slipped my mind. I'd guess you're feelin' a bit envious. What is it you're wishin' for?"
Maisie hung her head. Embarrassment reddened the tips of her green petals. "I wish I was a butterfly."
"There's no good in wishin'. 'Sides, you ne'er know where God'll send you t' bloom." The red and green faded out of Maisie petals at Gertie's kind tone.
Spring came and with it the greenhouse's opening day. As customers arrived to choose a flower to take home with them, Maisie stood tall, puffed out her stem, and smiled happily. She tried her best to keep her petals pure white. She washed her face every day, dusted off her leaves, and tucked her potting soil nice and tight around her stem.
As the days passed, flower after flower happily left the greenhouse in a gardener's arms. But not Maisie. Her petals often changed from white to green when someone chose a poppy or a geranium instead of her. When Gertie closed up each day, poor Maisie's petals turned blue from sadness.
"Gertie, no one wants me." She moped, a week after opening day. "I wish I was a rose. Then someone would take me home." Her petals turned green but she didn't care.
"There, there, somebody'll want a pretty little daisy."
April came and went and Maisie gave up hope of finding a home. She no longer cared what she looked like. In spite of Gertie best efforts, Maisie looked rather bedraggled. She'd even stopped trying to grow.
One rainy day as she stared listlessly outside, a duck waddled past.
"If I only I was a duck, I could splash in a puddle to pass the time." She sighed.
With a drooping head, dirty leaves, greenish blue petals, and an unwashed face, who could possibly want her now? She never smiled at anyone anymore.
One morning, about the middle of May, a little girl named Carly entered the greenhouse.
"Hi, Gertie." She called as she skipped down the rows. "Grandma had an operation and she needs a flower to cheer her up while she's in the hospital. Do you have any daisies? They're her favorite."
"I've one left. She's a sad littl' flower, though." Gertie's words made Maisie's petals turn red.
"Grandma's sad sometimes, too. Maybe they'd be happier together."
Carly took Maisie home, cleaned her up and put her in a pretty pot with fresh soil. She wriggled her roots around and stretched out. It felt so good! Then off they went to the hospital.
"Oh, Carly, a daisy. I'll be ready to go home in no time with such a cheerful flower."
Grandma's words made Maisie happier than she'd ever been before. She was so glad she wasn't a butterfly, a rose, or a duck. She not only had a home but also a job. She'd make Grandma healthy again.
At last, Maisie was happy to be a daisy.
Grandma gently rubbed her petals, then exclaimed with delight, "Carly, its petals are pink on the edges."
Maisie's petals never again changed to green because of envy, nor to blue from sadness, or even to the red of embarrassment.
They stayed pure white with just a little pink around the edges from true happiness.
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Great piece and a delight to read.
God bless~
Well done.
Thanks for a great lesson...and not only for children. I fell totally in love with Maisy Daisy.
God BLess~