Brialee Turner

Stella was a skunk the size of a roadside mailbox, and often contained the excitement, love, and energy one would expect from a long awaited birthday package. She had long, silky fur and bright eyes that would often stare up at the moon. She scampered among fields of poppies and tulips and napped in luscious, long grasses.

Her favorite foods consisted of leftover doughnuts, anything that resembled a pizza or a taco, and fresh berries that she found along the way.

Stella was a natural at finding creative ways to innovate and live her life. Her home was an old ice cooler that she had dragged to the edge of the field where she frolicked, and she had made her own soft bed with an ragged plaid button up that one day blew through during a storm.

She was content with her life, each day discovering new textures and colors, shapes and varieties. She tried new foods, scavenged in new trashbins, and watched new sunsets everyday. She was a friendly creature to all, stopping to talk and say hello to any that she met on her way. She was confident in herself. She knew that there weren’t many woodland creatures like her, but that didn’t really bother her. She was happy with her life and saw no need to change her style to fit in with anyone.

One day, Stella set out an an adventure to see the world and to make new friends. While trotting along the dusty path that led to the field, a beat up truck came out of no where, barely missing Stella’s tail.

“You’re WORTHLESS, you stinky skunk!” a cruel voice yelled back from inside the cab.

Stella moved quickly to the side of the road, startled. The words didn’t seem true, but they still stung. As she continued down the road, dark storm clouds rolled in, and thick, juicy raindrops began to fall from the sky. A few stragling crows cawed down at her, mocking her wet fur and heavy heart. The weather and the crows seemed to laugh at her pitfall plight.

“Am I really worthless?” she wondered, silently. She plopped down on the side of the road, amidst a thicket of sagebrush.

“I don’t really seem like the type of animal that most people like,” she thought. “Perhaps I don’t really have a purpose and this neighborhood would be better off without me here.”

She sat in the rain for what seemed like forever, feeling soggy and hopeless. She didn’t feel like taking shelter under a nearby tree and she didn’t want to take the long walk home. The rain drizzled on and the clouds, although fluffy, we’re dark and ominous. Drops of rain began to collect on the sagebrush by her paws, and then drip downward towards the now muddy road. Stella followed the drops as they created lazy trickles through the dirt and rocks.

After a few moments, she realized that nestled in the thicket of brush was a patch of wildflowers. Her eyes took in each of the colors and shapes. Some of the wildflowers were large, others were small. Some had delicate, paper thin petals, while others were elegant and thick. The stems varied in size, and some had tiny thorns scattered among the leaves. There was a rainbow of different flowers, each beautiful in their own way.

As Stella looked at all of the wildflowers, a thought came to her. “See all of these flowers? Not one of them is the same, yet they are all beautiful and lovely in their own way. The variety is what makes them shine. None of them are trying to be as the others, for that would defeat the very purpose of their being. They are beautiful because they are themselves.”

Stella smiled, and her tiny heart grew warm. She looked at a rose hued tulip in the center of the patch and gently reached her paws and plucked the flower. She stared down at the petals. She not longer felt cold or wet, but cheerful and pleasant. She was reminded of how much she loved to be herself, and how she did believe that she was created for a purpose.

As Stella made her way back the field where she lived, she stopped at a puddle in the center of the road. She tried to find any tadpoles or other creatures, but instead she was happily surprised to find her own reflection staring back. She smiled and admired her long snout, her silky fur, and her happy eyes. “I am BEAUTIFUL, simply because I am me!!” she said to herself.

And with that, she frolicked home, treasuring her tulip and her newfound joy.