Chapter 1: Comfortable, Safe, & Cozy
I want you to imagine a place you feel the most comfortable, safe, and cozy or better yet, go to that place right now. It could be anywhere really. In the winter you could be lying in your bed with the covers pulled to your chin or sitting on the couch with a cup of warm matcha pear tea. If it’s the summer you could be outside enjoying the warm rays the sun is giving off or standing under a tree looking out at the landscape in front of you. Everyone has a different level of comfort and while I am sitting here at my desk, I will be sharing the story of a young girl and her place of comfort.
Her story doesn’t start just over the rainbow or to the second star to the right but rather deep in the Dark Forest of Germany where there stands a small cottage. After entering the cottage, you will soon come to notice that inside lies absolutely nothing. Other than the front door, a small window in the back, and a little closet, there isn’t a piece of furniture or decoration in sight. Is this where the young girl lives? On the contrary, through that little closet is a staircase that leads you up to another door. When you reach that door, make sure to push, not pull, and upon entering you should come to realize that instead of being in the empty cottage you are now in a magnificent castle. I would like to formally welcome you to ‘The Kingdom of Exclusive Sweets’! Here lies the residence of the young girl.
This young girl has a special title: Princess Courtney Caramel. Courtney was too excited today to sit still, even in her favorite marshmallow chair. Today was her thirteenth birthday. Today was the day her father promised to take her to powdered sugar winter wonderland forest. She wanted to feel the cold air nip at her cheeks and the icy wind blow her long auburn hair. Technically she wasn’t born until 2:15 pm, but that didn’t stop her from going into her father’s office every half hour from when she woke up this morning at eight o’clock, to see if he was ready to take her. Since it’s not even noon yet, I think that gives us plenty of time for me to show you around.
After stepping out of the door that leads to the cottage in the forest, you will be standing in the peppermint hallway. If you look to your right, the hallway ends with a window looking out on the land of the kingdom. The door on the far right, closest to the window, is Courtney’s room. Her father wanted her close to the enchanted door that leads to the small cottage, just in case something were to happen. That’s why today is so exciting for her. Nothing ever happened where they lived, nothing exciting anyway. There were no earthquakes or hurricanes, the sun always shined bright, and the sun never let the ground beneath them get cold. Even at night when the moon was out, the weather always stayed the same.
