It was a perfect spring morning. The sky was painted in the brightest of blues. The trees were laden with fresh blossoms. Sunshine seeped into her room, lightening the place and waking Anna up. She walked to the window and opened it to look at the blissful morning outside. This was the favourite part of her day, looking out at the little happenings around her. The neighbourhood kids playing in the yard, the old lady shouting across the street to call out the vegetable vendor, and the smell of grass in spring mornings. She inhaled deeply but was jolted back to reality by the doorbell. It was the mailman. Unusual for him to come to her door since she hadn’t received mail in a long time. Little did she know that this mail would turn her whole world upside down.

Anna placed the rather heavy package which had no mention of its whereabouts, on the table. She opened the package and took the box out. She was a little uncertain about opening this unknown suspicious box alone, so she ended up staring at it for a good fifteen minutes. After being thoroughly convinced that however much she gawked at the box, it wasn’t going to unravel itself, she went ahead to open it. She carefully removed the tape which secured the box and removed the lid. It contained an envelope- neatly placed on top of what seemed to be a pile of clothes. Anna tore the envelope, took the letter out and started reading it. Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped as she continued to read through the contents of the letter. Tears glistened in her eyes and a rush of emotions went over her. She laughed, she cried and even danced around her whole room. The letter stated that Anna had been accepted into her dream school for Arts, the Columbus School of Art and Design. She always wanted to be a painter and own her art gallery one day. Getting this opportunity meant the world to her. Amidst all these emotions it struck her, that she’d always been too scared to even apply to this school. Then how was it possible that she’d gotten in?

She looked at the box kept beside her. In the excitement of getting this fabulous news, she’d completely forgotten about its existence. She started going through all stuff that was present in it. It had some brochures about the school, the items which were required to be carried to the school and some uniforms. Anna cluelessly rummaged through the box, eager to know about the owner of this box. At the very bottom, she found another letter. The words “Dear Anna” were written in the most calligraphic way possible. Her eyes welled up upon seeing it. She sat down on the floor and began reading it. The letter was from her mother. She had died the previous year after a prolonged illness. Her sister, who stayed in Columbia with her husband had sent this box to her. 

The letter read: Dear Anna, I am so proud of you. You have a gift. You are very creative and you create magic with your paintings. You have always told me about your dreams and how you do not want to live an ordinary life. Never stop chasing your dreams. Take all opportunities and make the best of them. I might not be there next to you, but always remember I will always be cheering for you.