THE STORY OF THE UGLY PRINCESS AND THE WISE FOOL

Learning to accept yourself helps you be less self-critical. It helps you create a more positive, compassionate, and balanced view of yourself.

Self-acceptance can give you more confidence in yourself. It helps you understand that your perceived negative qualities don't define you or your worth. When you are confident, you are more likely to take action despite your fears. In contrast, a lack of self-acceptance can hold you back and stop you from going after your dreams. Self-acceptance helps you realize that failure doesn't define you and is always a learning opportunity on the path to success.

Confidence can also give you greater independence. It allows you to make decisions for yourself without needing the approval of others. When you lack self-acceptance, you're constantly trying to hide, censor, or repress your true self. This can leave you feeling drained. Self-acceptance can help you show up more authentically without worrying about others' judgments of you. Essentially, when you accept yourself, you feel free to be your whole self.

I was thrilled as well as Trixie and Joana as we looked at the beautiful wedge sandals, I felt those times I had become a completely sophisticated girl and not a poor unfashionable teenager. Finally, my mean classmates will no longer be able to look down on me and insult me, I will prove to them that even if I am poor and I can't afford expensive clothes and apparel, I can be a true and fierce friend who appreciates gifts and help of my wealthy friends that I do not have to ask for anything in return.

Moments later Joana paid the cashier for the wedge sandals she bought for me. Around 4 pm we decided to go home because Joana thought that maybe Sofia was looking for me so she drove the SUV that her daddy lent her, while we were on the trip I couldn't help myself to become grateful and I told Joana several times how I appreciate her gift so my other friends started to get annoyed.

"Don't be overacting because it doesn't suit you, as long as you treasure and wear the wedge sandals I gave you, I have nothing to worry about, one more thing, the sandals suits you and you don't have to wear rubber shoes on campus," Joana told me.

"Yes, I will always wear your gift." I excitedly looked at the box I was holding, I looked like a child given delicious and imported ice cream at those times, it was the first time that my friend bought me an expensive item so I had to take good care of it.

My friends took me to the mansion and soon they left as well, when I went inside it looked like Mr. Tom hadn't come home yet because of his overloaded work, even on weekends he still had appointments with his clients, I also didn't notice the maids and what I caught inside the house was Sofia who looked like she had been waiting for me to come home. She greeted me with a kiss and a warm hug while holding a fairytale big book.

"Nanny Icay, can you tell me a story? We have some homework regarding the fairytale story inside this big book and I need assistance so I can answer the follow-up questions." She asked me in a soft and sweet voice.

"Of course, baby I will help you so let's go to the living room and I'll tell you the story." I took her hands and we went to the living room, I first lay on the table the box containing the wedge sandals and we both sat on the sofa, I took the big book and I read carefully the title and the other details.

"The story we're going to read this afternoon is titled' The Úgly and the wise fool 'by Margaret Gray and illustrated by Randy Cecil," I emphasized my voice and I was even able to make a voice changer to make Sofia enjoy and she will never get bored.

I started telling her the story as I spelled out every page of the big book.

"A very long time ago, when all the countries you've ever heard of were in different places on the map, a princess was born who was not beautiful. She wasn't even remotely pretty, and the whole kingdom was in deep shock about it."

" The Kingdom of Couscous is obsessed with beauty, as were all kingdoms in the land of once-upon-a-time. By tradition, all princesses were beautiful, but it was the 3rd daughter that was always most magnificent. Until that is, Rose is born. Princess Rose doesn't get any prettier as she grows up, but the kingdom does get over its shock. Everyone adores the skinny, buck-toothed princess, and she doesn't mind her appearance—until the most handsome prince in the world comes looking for a bride. Despite warnings from her seafaring fairy godmother and a wise fool named Jasper, reckless Rose wishes for beauty. She gets her to wish, and the prince, but finds neither is as nice as she had expected. The court fool who has a Ph.D. in wisdom is saddened by Rose's sudden interest in her looks, but he tries to be supportive. "

As I read the story I realized that it is an original fairy tale similar to Cinderella. When a handsome prince comes along and wants to marry the other sister and not the ugly Princess Rose, she then wishes to be beautiful. Of course, the prince isn't very nice, once she gets to know him. It was a clever and humorous book with likable characters, just the right amount of comedy, and a wise message about not forsaking wisdom for the sake of looks. In Couscous, beauty & ignorance is everything; Rose is ugly, and Jasper is wise, so they try to change themselves. If I were to be in Rose's situation I would not choose beauty because beauty is only skin deep, there will come a time when it will fade and disappear but the goodness of a heart will never be lost, it will serve as a memory for those who practice goodness and morality.

I love that the story shows the appeal of being pretty and petty but also makes it clear what matters in a relationship. Also, the ideas about what it means to be truly wise are lovely.

John Paolo is like Jasper who is a wise fool, he won't notice me either because I'm not pretty. A woman's physical beauty was more important to him than immaculate and kindness. I am not the type of woman who can be displayed and make other rich and famous people proud because I came from a simple poor family so it is very impossible that love can make a way to keep us together.

He is also playing safe and he doesn't want to get hurt so he just toying with the feelings of women who like him.

As my mind continued to travel towards John Paolo my attention was suddenly caught when Sofia spoke when I had finished reading the story.

"It's funny, it looks like you're the ugly princess and Jasper is my brother John Paolo." Sofia smiled at me.

I do the same way too, I can't quite imagine that she could think of such an idea, and John Paolo and I are her ideal partners.

"Oh, my baby sister what you think won't happen because the ugly princess is only for the ugly frog and not for a prince charming."

I heard from the kitchen John Paolo taking water from the pitcher inside the refrigerator.

"Don't interfere with your sister's idea and I'm just telling a fairytale, it's just fiction and won't happen in real life," I told him somewhat as if my ego was hurt. I already concluded that I was only fantasizing about John Paolo and that no love would ever be formed between the two of us.

John Paolo did not answer me but he returned to his room while we stayed in the living room.

"Baby Sofia now that I'm done telling the story you can easily answer the questions. My first question is who are the characters in the story?"

Sofia answered immediately.

"The characters in the story are the King, the ugly princess Rose and her siblings Asphalt and Concrete, Prince Parsley, fairy godmother, and Jasper."

"Very well said," and I applauded and praised her for how well she answered me.

"Where did the story take place?"

"The story took place in the Kingdom of Couscous," she replied.

"Correct," I said to her.

"Now, what moral lesson did you learn from the story?" I asked her again.

"The moral lesson I learned in the story is that when you're not beautiful you're a miserable creature and you're not going to have a happy ending,"

My eyes widened at what I heard from Sofia.

"That's cruel," I told her.

And at that moment he suddenly laughed out loud so I suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. She started a joke.

"Just a joke, I'm just kidding." And she kept giggling so loudly that I was also infected by her funny laugh.

After a while, we went back to our discussion and Sofia answered my question again.

"The moral lesson I learned in the story is that physical beauty is not a measurement for other people to love you. Being beautiful, however, isn't all it's cracked up to be, you should discover and return to your true self and love your own because that is the true essence of self-acceptance, "Sofia held my hands, and then she intently looked at me into my eyes.

"Nanny Maricar, even if you are not beautiful in the eyes of brother John Paolo especially with other people, for me you are my beautiful teacher because you are very kind to us and you always take care of us and you do not neglect us even if sometimes you are awake while taking care of us all, thank you. "

I was shocked by what Sofia told me. I never thought at such a young age that she would be able to say such a weighty heart-wrenching message that no one else has ever told me in my entire life. I couldn't stop the tears from falling in my eyes because I felt a little pain in my heart, I'm not even related to Sofia but I feel like she's the real youngest sister and I appreciate her love and appreciation for me, even though I'm not beautiful and famous on our campus, there are still people who love me and trust in my abilities.

"Thank you, baby." I hugged Sofia tightly as tears continued to trickle down my eyes.

"I love you, baby Sofia," I added.

"I love you, nanny Maricar." Her response to me was tender and sweet.