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A Tale of a Beautiful Princess

Once upon a time, not so long ago, lived a young hardworking couple in their kingdom on a lush tropical island. The couple had been blessed with two robust, healthy and handsome sons; they wished and prayed for a daughter to complete the family. Not long after, on July 22, 1977, the gods smiled on them and a beautiful princess was born to the young couple.

The baby was truly a gift from heaven, with cheeks as red as apples, skin as smooth as silk, and eyes that glisten like pools of crystal-clear water. They christened her Margaux Vanessa, after the world-famous red wine, Chateau Margaux, a wine that becomes better with age.

And indeed the young princess amazed everyone in their kingdom as she grew. She was only seven months old when she started talking, regaling her listeners with animated stories of talking animals and dancing trees. At nine months, she was already walking and exploring the little kingdom on her tiny bare feet. Margaux was beloved by the people around her for she was a sweet, smart and precocious child. She befriended one and all, including the servant's children, the drivers, the gardener, the cleaning lady as well as her neighbor's kids and the children of her parent's friends.

Such a wonderful blissful existence was shortlived for tragedy came when Margaux, at the age of two years, was stricken with a mysterious disease. The little princess was on a holiday with her grandparents when she suddenly fell ill with a very high fever combined with violent convulsions. Off they rushed her to the hospital, where her distraught parents came to her side. Doctors were puzzled with her condition. They contained her fever and stopped the convulsions. It was presumed that it was a mere case of influenza and they were about to release her after three days of confinement. When during a routine examination, they discovered that she should not stand up, the doctors were suddenly worried and would not let her go.

The princess' condition worsened each day. She refused to eat; pushing away even her favorite bottle milk. She lost control of all her motor movements; her body would stiffen would stiffen, her wide eyes would cross, her tongue would spurt out in all directions. She lapsed into a state of semi-coma where she would be awaked but would see nothing, hear nothing and respond to no stimuli. Margaux became an empty shell of her former self.

Devastated, but they never loss hope and faith in the God who gave them their little princess. Her mother would sing lullabies and whisper stories to her ears, gently caressing and kissing her while slowly wiping her own tears of desperation and helplessness. Her father went into swift action by aiding the doctors in their quest for answers: bringing samples of blood, urine, and even hair to laboratories all over the country for examination.

Days stretched into weeks and then months. Then, the battalion of doctors came and gave their final verdict the little princess had meningo-encephalitis, a viral infection of the brain. Her poor little had been infested by a very bad and awful virus, which slowly eating eating away her whole being. She was fed intravenously and her medicines were administered in the same way. When almost all her veins on her arms and legs collapsed, she was pricked on the forehead or on the skin in between her thighs. She was pricked almost daily but nary a whimper would come out of her semi-comatose body. On occasions that she did let out a small cry, her parents would cry tears of with her, for at least there was a tinge of hope that she could respond to pain. But the pain in her parent's hearts became more unbearable each day.

Her mother and father tried all ways of healing imaginable: from mother medicine to the supernatural. When the doctors themselves seemed to have given up hope and when faith-healers said that only miracle could make the princess well again, the entire kingdom turned to prayer. Her parents, her brothers, grandpa's, grandma's, aunts, uncles, her playmates, her gardener, the cleaning lady and her children, the drivers and all those whom she touched bombarded the heavens with prayers!

One day, the little princess miraculously woke- up from her long slumber and asked for a bottle of milk. She then proceeded to cradle the statue of the Sto.Niño that her mother had placed besider her pillows. Margaux said that the statue was her “baby” and “my friend.” The battalion of doctors was baffled but overjoyed at the princess' sudden recovery.

As men of science, they concluded that the medications, which had steroids for the brain, must have done their job; however, Margaux personal physician believed that some divine intervention of God's mighty hand played a vital role of her amazing recovery.

The little princess was released from the hospital amidst the loud cheers and joyous tears of her family and the doctors and nurses that took care of her for many days. She recovered as if nothing had ever happened. She became even more kind and loving, and exhibited a unique zest for life, which was natural magnet for friends. At the age of four, Margaux went to school. There she became the darling of her inquisitive nature; she was always obedient and well-behaved; she was an eager learner despite some difficulties with spelling and math.

One day after school, her mother suddenly heard hysterically shouts from neighbors around their kingdom. Her princess had been run over by a speeding monster called a tricycle! Margaux was then crossing the street to visit a neighbor's newborn baby when suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, this speeding monster came and ran over her, dragging her sweet tiny body along the road. She tumbled and tossed for more than a mile until that monster finally let go. Margaux's body was battered all over, her smooth skin was scraped like a potato unevenly peeled, her two little front baby-teeth were knocked-off, she had gaping wound on her head and her collarbone was broken. Off she went back to that hospital whose doctors and nurses knew and loved her so well.

Once again, her parents called on all gods in heaven, “Please spare our princess, dear God. Please make her whole once again.” God's love and Margaux's innate resilient spirit pulled her through. She sang songs while being bandaged, she made the nurses laugh amidst her pain, her only concern at that time was when the tooth fairy would bring back her two little front teeth. The princess survived this episode as if it did not happen at all.

Barely a year after that accident, fate tested Margaux's spirit once more. While playing around her room in the modest castle, a sudden gust of wind slammed the door right smack on Margaux's little index finger! That finger was torn at the joint and doctors frantically grafted the finger back to its position. A tiny hole was left around the bandaged finger. Her parents were told if the finger turned black, then it would have to be amputated. “No! A beautiful princess needs ten fingers!”

Daily, her mother would peek through the hole with a prayer under her breath. “Will my finger die, mommy?” Margaux would ask each day. “Let us pray to God that it will not happen,” mother would reply. And God truly did not let it happen. The finger “lived and Margaux was whole again.

A few years later, a fourth and final incident made Margaux's parents re-examine their values and faith in the Almighty. On the way home from school in their horseless-carriage known as an automobile, Margaux, with her two brothers was involved in a three-automobile collision. Their vehicle was sandwiched between two other cars and the princess sustained the gravest injury. While her brothers suffered minor scratches and bruises, Margaux was thrown against the steel frame of the roof of the car, leaving another gaping wound on her head. This necessitated more stitches on her head and brain scans to determine any cerebral damage. “Oh God, please do not let her brain suffer again!” Her parents silently prayed. But God loved Margaux deeply and she pulled through with only the scars on her head as a reminder of this last accident.

These four episodes in the life of the princess jolted her parents into self examination. They deduced that their lifestyle must change and that God should not only be a source of comfort and strength in time of need. God was using Margaux, their little princess, as his messenger. And the message was loud and clear: that he can take away our most prized treasures at any given time for we are only caretakers of His bounty. Thus, we have to dedicate our lives to Him who is responsible for all our blessing. From that time on, the family vowed to make God the center of their lives, little princess grew up to be a beautiful, loving and caring lady. She now had three younger brothers who loved and adored her just like her two older brothers. Like a typical teenager, she indulged herself in the pursuits of the passion of the young: she loved collecting stuffed toys and stationary, she used that contraption called the telephone for endless hours, she adored playing music endlessly in her room and she continue to make so many friends.

An endless line of young swains made their way to her door in courtship of our young princess. She made a promise to her parents that would only consider having a relationship with a special someone when she has entered college and upon her formal introduction to society at the age of 18.

A grand ball was arranged to mark the formal debut of the princess at a huge ballroom in a plush hotel. The ball was to be a celebration of her life and a thanksgiving banquet for her many triumphs in life. A lavish dinner was followed by a formal dance, where Margaux was waltzed and twirled by the most handsome men in the kingdom amidst cascading confetti and the music of the popular band. Her special guest was the kingdom gratest heart-rob who goes by the name of Aga Muhlach. Margaux was magnificently lovely that night, her beauty was as dazzling as her exquisitely beaded gowns.

Her debut truly marked the turning point in the princess life. She was determined to experience adult life to the fullest. On the night of her debut, she gave her “sweet yes” to someone she thought was so special, a young lad who was to become the object of her affections and obsession.

This was the start of her parent's greatest nightmare. This time, the nemesis was no longer a disease or an accident that could be cured with bandages and medicine. This time, they were dealing with an abstract thing called LOVE.

Her worried parents tried to reach out to the young princess by opening their hearts and doors to the young man. They wanted to get to know him, to find out what made their daughter love him, and to determine for themselves what is exactly going on. But the young lad proved to be a formidable opponent; he refused to get close to the family, coming only to their kingdom once or twice and never really having any serious conversation with Margaux's parents except for monosyllabic answers to their myriad questions.

The young princess completely fell under his spell. It was as if he possessed a kind of voodoo, a special king of black magic that transformed Margaux into a totally different being. Gone was the exuberant, amiable and happy young lady. In her place was an isolated, confused, sad and lonely individual. One minute she was crying as if the world was falling apart, the next minute she was silent, and when queried by her mother on her problems she would clam up and say that there was none - she was just in love.

“Love does not destroy a person; it gives one inspiration, makes one's life so beautiful and complete, “her mother would tell the princess. But Margaux was blindly in love. Her mind was manipulated to the point where she trusted no one except her beloved and she thought that the whole world was against them.

Her parents went to action by bringing Margaux to a spiritual retreat and a renewal of faith in the Lord. She came out of the retreat somewhat repentant but quickly slid back into that same morose mode when communications with her young lad resumed anew. Her father lost his patience and demanded the she cut relations with this seemingly evil creature, but the princess adamantly refused. “I love him! You cannot stop me from loving him!” The princess shouted. A loud and violent argument ensued between the father and the daughter the he loved so dearly.

When things seemed to be getting utterly out of hand, the princess' mother decided to make one drastic step. She bundled the princess up and together they rode this big gleaming machine with wings called an airplane. Off they went to a big beautiful land called America and in it the princess was to stay for 3 whole years.

Margaux went not without a fight. During the long trip that lasted from sunrise to the next sunrise, the princess did not speak a word to her mother. She refused to even come near the one person who loved her unconditionally, as if the mere touch of her mother's hand would burn her flesh. Her mother repeatedly tried to reach out to her, by offering food, by trying to just sit and talk, by telling her that she loved her and was doing the best thing for her. But the look of defiance and hatred in Margaux's eyes would stop her mother from going any further. The mother, though deeply hurt, consoled herself that she had done the right thing. Life in

America was a constant challenge to Margaux. She pined for her lost love daily and tried to keep the relationship alive by constant telephone calls and the use of this magnificent new machine called the computer. But still, she could not ignore the great discoveries that were unfolding before her in his new and exciting land. She was quickly enrolled in one of the best institutes of learning in America and in the university, she found a new life.
America, with its buildings as big as giants, its modern and exciting contraption and its inhabitants whose language and culture were a pleasant revelation to Margaux, became her greatest source of inspiration. She buckled into curving out a life as a working student in the land of opportunity. She learned the mundane chores that servants did in her kingdom, like cooking, cleaning her apartment, doing the laundry and she took great pride in doing these things.

The evil boyfriend tried very hard to wield his influence upon the princess, but thirteen thousand miles of distance and the challenges that America had to offer proved too great hindrance for his magic.

Thus, after a year of loneliness and despair, Margaux realized the futility of her situation and gradually opened up to the exhilarating social and culture life that America had to offer.

Throughout all this time, her mother who was back in the island kingdom, never gave up hope on the princess. Despite Margaux's indifferent attitude, her mother sent messages daily, called on the phone weekly and visited her as often possible. The distance from her family made Margaux realize how fortunate she was to be so loved and cherished by so many people. After a year she resolved to make up her mistakes and eventually make her family proud of her.

The major turning-point in the princess' life in America
was when she met this nice young lad who first became her friend and then slowly won her heart. He came from the same island paradise and was a classmate of hers in the university. They hit it off as a great friend for he was kind and was extremely funny. The young lad was smitten and he courted her with great passion and dedication.

This boy was humble enough to come back to the island paradise and visit Margaux's parents. He made known the depth of his love and the purity of his intentions. Her parents, still reeling from Margaux's past relationship, were more wary this time. Yet they cannot help but acknowledge that the young lad was a good person and that he was truly and deeply in love with the princess.

Margaux suddenly felt reborn; she felt so special. For the first time, here was a man who did not suppress her real self, who did not have any intentions of controlling her life. This must be real love, and she eventually agreed to be his sweetheart.

All at once, Margaux was back into her former self. She boomed like a fresh spring flower, adding the extra pounds on her frame and becoming more and more ease with her life, her friends and her new-found love.
Her parents, her family and all her friends back home breathed and exhausted sigh of relief. The princess' troubles must have finally ended. Her parent's only wish now is for Margaux to finish her education and everything would be complete.

The young princess is now back in her kingdom on the island paradise, her first visit in three years. Not for good, but only for a short summer vacation before going back to America to continue her studies and to be with the one that she loves. She is presently relishing the love and attention of her parents and her five brothers who missed her dearly.
There is no trace of pain and suffering in her face. Looking at her now, no one would ever think that such a beautiful wonderful creature had been through so much, yet still come out smiling and blissfully triumphant.

Like a true princess, may Margaux live happily ever after.

(After all, she is my daughter and this is her story.)

Source (http://giftsphilippines.com/