Free The Orchard of Hope by Amy Neftzger Page B

your
advice and not desire the dress for myself, ” said Kelsey. She felt proud at
her response and tried to suppress a smile.
    “The dress is
not appropriate for you because it ’ s woven from the fibers of
knowledge and sewn together with the threads of learning. The
parasol provides a shade of logic because it has a handle made from
sound judgment. ”
    Kelsey ’ s spirit sank, and she immediately felt that she had been
outsmarted. She struggled with a way to respond that
wouldn ’ t be
offensive. Then it occurred to her that if the woman was dressed in
these things that perhaps the outfit was something like armor: it
provided the protection and appearance of what the person wearing
it was lacking.
    “And do you
have all these things without your clothing and
accessories? ” Kelsey asked. “ Or does your clothing provide these things for
you? ”
    “My clothing is
like your facial expression: It reflects what is inside of me. It
is not a
mask, ” she
answered.
    Kelsey felt deflated. Every time
she encountered one of the sisters, she left the conversation
feeling small. She glanced around helplessly and wished that
someone else would change the topic of discussion.
    “Where are you
headed? ” the
sister asked Roland.
    “We ’ re crossing the sea. Do you have
any advice for us? ” he asked.
    “Laugh only
when necessary, ” she replied. “ But you usually do, anyway. ”
    “Nevertheless,
your advice is always welcome, ” he replied with a parting bow as he said
goodbye.
    “You ’ re the
greatest! ” Maggie exclaimed as she curtsied to the woman. “ I hope I ’ m just like you when I grow
up. ”
    “With that
attitude you will be. ” The woman smiled with assurance as she handed Maggie a few
coins from the bag at her feet. Then she turned to Kelsey. “ Nothing for you.
Wisdom pays dividends only to those who admire
it. ”
    Kelsey wanted to
spit on the woman for treating her shabbily, but she held herself
together and simply nodded. She couldn ’ t understand why she was always
unable to converse with these women. She also knew that she
shouldn ’ t be
jealous of Maggie, and yet she was. Kelsey had never known how to
appease these elegantly dressed women, and she hated that some
others did it so easily while she struggled.
    “I ’ m sorry to disappoint you.
Goodbye, ” Kelsey said before turning away.
    “Your sorrow
may be what saves you, ” the woman replied. “ There may be hope for you yet –
if you ’ re
looking for hope, that is. ”
    Kelsey
didn ’ t know how
to respond, so she kept walking away with her friends and
didn ’ t speak
another word. Sometimes the best words are the ones we
don ’ t say.
    “The easiest
approach to people is honesty. You ’ re never wrong when
you ’ re honest
because your feelings are real, ” Maggie said after they had walked a distance and were out of the
range of the woman ’ s
hearing.
    “What if
I ’ m feeling
annoyed because I didn ’ t ask for advice? ” Kelsey asked.
    “All I know is
that wisdom and reality are somehow linked. I don ’ t know how, but I also know that
feelings are real. They can help us to see reality by showing us
who we are. At least that works for me, ” Maggie explained. “ I just thought it
might help you if you knew what worked for me. ”
    While Kelsey
didn ’ t quite
understand, she accepted that perhaps Maggie did have something
that she lacked and that maybe the king was right to send Maggie on
this journey. Kelsey still didn ’ t understand exactly how or why
Maggie could be of use on the quest, but Maggie did seem to be
faster at understanding how to communicate with the birds, and she
could charm the Sisters of Wisdom. Those skills could prove
valuable over time.
    “Thank you for
your advice, ” Kelsey finally said, and she meant it. She
didn ’ t know how
she could use it, but she was grateful for a friend who cared
enough to give it.
    The two girls
followed Roland down the path to the wooden