Long ago there lived a little girl, whose name was Amelee.
She spent a lot of her days and nights dreaming of what she could be.

Wide eyed and ready to change the world was just one of the dreams she had.
She lived in a nice little town, but many people were very sad.

They had not enough money to feed their children, or buy toys with nothing to share.
They drove broken cars, barely survived, and cried in the deepest despair.

There were kids without homes who slept out in the cold.
With no warm clothes or food, some were just nine years old.

One day Amelee closed her eyes and boldly began to dream.
She knew that she had a destiny that she had not yet seen.

" If I believe in my heart, I can make it come true! " She said to herself one day.
" I will make this dream real, I will see it right through, Somehow I'll find a way! "

She wrote to the king and his counselors and asked for help in a letter.
She thought they would want to help her make the sad people feel better.

She began to work, and slowly, a magic grew from deep inside.
She opened her mind and heart to be truly vast and wide.

Her dreams were coming true, as she concentrated with all of her might.
She worked each day and knew her dreams were not too far from sight.

One day a mysterious man came knocking gently at her door.
He knew her intentions, or so it seemed, right down into the core.

" You will build a glorious castle from which you may share the greatest wealth.
You will line the streets with gold, and provide the best of health.

You will call on those with true intent to make this a better place.
People will come from near and far to marvel at this wondrous space.

You will change this town to a new one, with great wealth from young to old.
You will be very proud of your visions, as the changes begin to unfold. "

Amelee was very excited, and the man was most sincere.
He gave her the first gold brick for luck, and whispered encouragement in her ear.

She began to build a small castle, and soon the townspeople flocked to see.
She had learned to make her own gold, and had given each the key.

She poured and made each brick of gold throughout each passing day,
she marveled at the speed in which the townspeople took them away.

" I'm making a difference, I'm helping the poor "
She thought as she gazed on the lines wanting more.

She built the glorious castle, on the top of a little hill.
She made countless bricks, and gave them freely, in good will.

She refused every helper, no one paid their own way.
It was her turn to take care of others, was what they would hear her say.

She would not accept gifts or money, for this she had no need.
In fact it was a little strange, she apparently had no greed.

She turned away those who offered a hand in help to clean up all the mess.
She simply said she wanted to give and share in her success.

But soon the lines of people lengthened and the little village grew.
Her town had grown to thousands of people, when it once had only a few.

While handing out gold to each needy person and in turn to every sad soul,
she realized she needed help, for her dream to reach her goal.

So she called upon her closest friends to help make the gold she poured.
She had found many new special friends that she loved...in fact, adored.

One day there came a problem she had never known before,
her closest friend stood boldly, blocking light from the front door.

" We will use the bricks from the castle, I have had a brilliant idea! "
Her dearest friend named Heather, proclaimed for everyone to hear.

" I have a new and special gold, it's feather light as a summer breeze.
It's much better than the gold Amelee made, and it is sure to please! "

She tossed the brick with brilliant gleam as if it were in fun.
It floated gracefully from the sky and sparkled in the sun.

A glimmer that was sheer and bright,
this new gold impressed all in sight.

Amelee turned and smiled there was not a single fear,
it was fortunate she had such friends and so many good people were near!

She gave the castle brick by brick, as her friends passed it through town.
She watched their tears slow, then stop, and not a soul was feeling down.

They bought new cars and saw the world, they had gifts with fancy bows.
They never cried except with joy, as their living standard rose.

They took her castle piece by piece, and replaced it with the new.
The lightest, brightest feather-soft gold of a brilliant hue.

Soon the castle was rebuilt, Amelee marveled at the sight.
So bright you could see through the walls at the height of midday light.

The town was rich, with glimmering roads, her friends had done her a favor.
Rather than bear the weight of the old bulky gold, she had the gilded feathers to savor.

She smiled at all she had once longed to do,
and thanked the heavens for her dreams coming true.

Off in the horizon the sun kissed the sky,
Her heart filled with joy, her soul could now fly.

But far in the distance a storm had begun,
of such force and fury, destruction... must come.

The wind began to gust and blow,
a funnel, a torrent of natures great show.

The wind began to spin and scream,
it ravaged through cities and towns in between.

Amelee was frightened, she looked up and down,
she looked at the houses, and the shining gilded town.

Then she thought for a moment, all would be safe from pain,
the storm could tear trees down but the gold would remain.

The wind ripped through streets, and ravaged the land,
but the town was unharmed and continued to stand.

It roared up the hillside to her little haven,
the storm then engulfed her as dark as a raven.

Her friends had protected her, or so she was told,
but the storm knew no limits and she shivered with cold.

The gold was just feathers in a false painted hue,
a mystery to Amelee, that her friends already knew.

The gold painted feathers whisked up to the sky,
she watched in despair as her dreams flew right by.

And then, in a moment of desperate fear,
she gazed at the town which was pristine, and near.

She stood on the mountain, and looked all around.
Glimmering and peaceful, each home was there, safe and sound.

She walked the winding path to the very first house that day,
she knocked and she pleaded, but they turned her away.

She wandered in tears dazed through each gilded street,
as she discovered she wore only rags, with bare feet.

Confusion came over, they were cruel and so mean,
she did not understand, as this was not in her dream.

" Why would they desert me, I had given all I owned "
She stumbled and fell, as she cried and softly moaned.

The stranger who had helped her in creating that first dream,
stood in front of her that dark day, with a new brick and a gleam.

" What happened? What have you done, Your dream has gone astray! "

" I shared the gold, just as I longed to, but they took it all away. "

Her gifts glazed the town blinding her in the sun.
They remained almost to taunt her, a reminder of each one.

The gifts her friends had given had disappeared in one night,
the gifts that she had given were now everywhere in sight.

" You gave gifts of gold to many, as you did with your friend Heather,
and for that they took your presents and rewarded you with feathers. "

Amelee gazed then in sadness, a single tear fell down her cheek.
But then the man gave her a new gold brick, and softly began to speak.

" With this brick you can build again, but remember one thing that is true.
If you give too much to too many, you'll find they will turn on you.

Give only to those whose hearts are giving, and they will pass it on.
That way your dream will keep on growing, long after you are gone. "

Amelee believed him, and began to build once more.
But this time she gave her gifts in a way she had not done before.

To each one as she gave, she told them what the wise man said.
She asked them to give to others too, with heart and purse and head.

A team of people came to help her as the new plans were unrolled.
They paid attention to foundation there were no feathers, just bricks of gold.

Without equality and teamwork they knew the town would surely fall;
If the dreams of it's construction were not shared by one and all.

The little town did then prosper as it never had before,
and Amelee helped many others learn, to let their spirits soar.

Copyright © 2004 Maryanne & Mark F. Chisholm. All rights reserved.