A Mermaid Named Veronica
There once was a mermaid named Veronica who had very long beautiful hair. All the sea creatures could see her hair coming long before she got there. They would wait to see her, greeting her with enthusiasm and joy.
"Hi, Veronica!! How are you today?" This made Veronica feel very special and loved. She would always answer back, "I'm doing very well, thank you. How are all of you?" Then they would chat for a bit and she would swim on. She became so used to this way of life that it started to become a bit of a rut. She craved something new and different, but wasn't sure what.
One day she knew what she was meant to do: cut off all her beautiful hair. She took a swordfish and cut off every bit of her prized possession. She soon became painfully aware of the fact that no one noticed or greeted her anymore as she swam by. They didn't recognise her and she was too embarrassed to say anything. She knew that they would all ask about her hair and she didn't want to explain why she had cut it. She wept. Nothing seemed to matter anymore: it was as if she had ceased to exist. At times, she desperately wanted her hair back, but deep down she knew that that wasn’t the answer. This depression lasted for many moons until one day she woke up. She looked around. All different colours, shapes and sizes were displayed among the sea life and each mermaid looked completely and totally unique. She realised in that moment that she would always be unique and special, with or without her hair. She didn't need others to notice her in order for her to feel this way. She swam off with glee, knowing she could be happy just the way she was.
Laura Cade
