All your life you've been surrounded by beautiful things other people made.\n\nSometimes you just pick them up to hold them, tiny and warm and bright in your fingers, and long to be able to produce something so wonderful yourself.\n\nYou've always doubted yourself, but today you are going to [[try]].

That's what the words all say. You're very sure even though you can't completely read them through your [[tears]].\n\nYou were wrong, you were wrong, you've always been wrong.

Words flow into your head, their words. They have a lot of them to say.\n\nTHIS THING, say the words, IS NOT [[BEAUTIFUL]].

You glow with pride at the thing you have made. It is fine and elegant and true, like the beautiful things you've long admired.\n\nYou've succeeded, and your creation pulses with life and wonder.\n\nPerhaps you should [[share it.]]

THE END

Life passes on. You get over [[it]].

You've always wanted to make something [[beautiful]].\n\nToday you feel brave enough to try.

You can do this.\n\nYou did it once already.\n\nYou begin again, and as the second beautiful thing comes alive in your hands you know it is even stronger than the [[last.]]

The first words are still [[there]].

[[Someone saw!]]

Other words have been said about the beautiful thing on your shelf, and you find them now. Your [[fear]] is cracked, and you can see clearly to the hearts of what they mean.

Someone else noticed your creation.\n\nDo you dare wonder what they had to say?\n\nDo they care at all?\n\nWhat [[words]] do they offer?

One day, you are doing [[nothing]] when-

THIS IS AN OKAY THING, say the words.\n\nIT IS NOT BEAUTIFUL. THERE ARE THINGS ABOUT IT THAT ARE BAD.\n\n...It's not how you remember this.\n\nBUT IT COULD BE IMPROVED UPON AND IS A SOLID START INTO THE ART OF CREATING THINGS.\n\nI HOPE TO SEE [[MORE]].

[[!]]

You take the thing you've made in your hands and stare at it, wondering how you failed it so. It looks the same, but the words have made it somehow dirtier in your thoughts.\n\nYou put it down.\n\nYou're [[ashamed]] to have ever hoped you could make something beautiful.

Beautiful

First you [[sweat]].

You look at the glittering fruit of your labor in wonder, picking it up and turning it over to examine it from all sides.\n\n[[It's beautiful.]]

It sits on your shelf, apart from the things you treasure, but you cannot get rid of it no matter how sick you feel when you look at it.\n\nIt's still [[yours]].

Maybe you did something right after all.\n\nMaybe, just maybe, you can try [[again]].

The last thing to do is make a [[wish]].

You're so excited! But how will you present it? You don't want to seem too arrogant, even though you know it's a truly lovely thing you've made. But if you're too modest nobody will notice!\n\nIt's not that you need to be [[noticed]], the work itself was satisfying! But it would really be nice.

You decide it's best not to try again.\n\nForget your hopes of ever making something beautiful.\n\nGet on with your [[life]].

[[!!!]]

Then you [[cry]].

IT IS A MERE IMITATION OF TRUE BEAUTY\n\nIT HAS NO SIGNIFICANCE EXCEPT TO TERRIBLE PEOPLE\n\nNO ONE WILL LOVE THIS UGLY THING\n\nITS MAKER IS CLEARLY NO ONE WHO MATTERS AND HAS NEVER MATTERED TO ANYONE\n\nTHEY WILL NOT MATTER EVEN WHEN THEY DIE AND THEIR UGLY FAILURE IS FORGOTTEN\n\nNO ONE WILL LOVE THEM OR THEIR THING\n\nEVER\n\n[[FOREVER]]

You whisper your wish into your hands and then fold them closed. You hold it until the warmth of your breath has left your fingers.\n\n[[You're done.]]

You pool together all your tiny hopes with all your many fears and spin them into the core of your creation, masking them tenderly from all eyes but yours.\n\nYou're almost [[finished]].

i'm nobody important or special, say the words. They are little and soft in your head.\n\nbut this thing is wonderful, and only someone good could have made it.\n\ni think you are good.\n\ndon't listen to the people who disagree. maybe there is a part of the thing they don't like! but that is okay. not everybody likes everything.\n\ni think it is an incredibly beautiful thing.\n\nthankyou person.\n\n[[thankyou]].

You've never made a beautiful thing before, but you know that it takes hard work.\n\nYou lay out the list of materials, you organize your thoughts, and you [[begin]].

Then you [[bleed]].

Just maybe...\n\nYou pick up your designs and plans, and [[see]] where things went wrong.

by Zita

You tremble with nervous excitement. Did they [[love]] it?

Eventually, you stop looking at it at [[all]].

More?\n\n[[Maybe...]]