Once upon a time, near the Great Wall of China in the suburbs of Shanghai, lived two little girls.
Mia of the Ming family, and Nia of the Nhan family.
After school, Nia and Mia played tennis together, shared their toys, candies and secrets.
They talked to each other, about their day.
"I got Mom to buy me an orange dress, and I saved all of my coins to buy some ice cream at the
store," Nia told her best friend.
"Great job! My dad said I look great in green?" said Mia.
They would talk, talk, talk, and talk some more, but always about themselves.
One evening, after dinner, when their parents were watching television, Nia had a thought…
"I wonder if people could read my thoughts? Should I write them down," Nia thought to herself.
That same evening, Mia became a chef.
Mia began to bake cookies, in the shape of tennis rackets, and sea creatures.
Everyday went by, and evenings after evenings, the two girls practiced their hobbies.
Their hobbies became their habits, and their habits became their skills.
Nia began to write down every single thought she felt important, and sometimes these thoughts
were written on her homework.
"I think watermelons tastes great with cheese," wrote Nia.
Mia would go to school with a green apron, green lunch box, and the most delicious homemade
salads, and sugar cookies for dessert, in the shape of tennis rackets for lunch at school.
Mrs. Turtlesoup, their second grade teacher, saw the girls and their changes.
"Nia, what are you thinking? And Mia, who taught you to eat so well?" Mrs. Turtlesoup asked
the two girls.
"I sometimes wonder if people could have the same thoughts when something happens," Nia
answered.
"I just think green is my new favorite color," Mia told Mrs. Turtlesoup.
Mrs. Turtlesoup laughed so hard that she started to cry.
"Nia, I hope people will hear your voice, and thoughts. Mia, I think you look great!" Mrs. Turtlesoup said.
Mia was so excited and hugged Mrs. Turtlesoup, and told her, "My father is a chef, and
I watch him at work everyday. I want to be like my father. That's why I love to
cook."
"My father makes tennis rackets at the local factory, and he never has time to think. My mom
told me to write down what I think my father would say to me, because he loves me," Nia told
Mrs. Turtlesoup.
"Do you think Bing, the imaginary bear would like to see your work?" Mrs. Turtlesoup asked
them.
"Who's Bing? And does Bing like salads and cookies?" Mia asked Mrs. Turtlesoup.
"What my thoughts?" Nia asked Mrs.Turtlesoup.
Mrs. Turtlesoup laughed, "Bing, is my imaginary bear, and he believes both of you are going to
be the most amazing girls in the future."
"What else does Bing know about us?" both girls asked Mrs.Turtlesoup.
"Bing thinks, if you love your skills, you can see your future," whispered Mrs.Turtlesoup.
"I like Bing's thoughts, and I think I will make little bear cookies after him!" said Mia.
Mrs. Turtlesoup laughed so hard again that she almost toppled over.
"But I will tell you a secret. Bing is just a little bear, and if you both believe in yourselves, then
Bing's thoughts doesn't really matter at all," said Mrs. Turtlesoup.
"Nia is going to write about Bing, the imaginary bear!" Mia was so excited.
"Mia will become a chef," Nia was absolutely confident about Mia.
"Lunch is definitely over!!" Mrs. Turtlesoup smiled.
The end. Just write.