December 7, 2004

Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no 
Christmas. All else is outward display--so much 
tinsel and decorations. For it isn't the holly, it isn't 
the snow. It isn't the tree not the firelight's glow. 
It's the warmth that comes to the hearts of
men when the Christmas spirit returns again. 
~Author Unknown~

This is the story of the Perfect Christmas doll. Her name was Cindy.

Cindy always knew she was very special, from the day she was brought out of her box.

"Don’t forget to tell them how perfect I am," said Cindy.

Don’t worry Cindy, I’ll be telling them.

Cindy was the perfect Christmas doll. Her dress was perfectly conformed to her perfect body. She had the most perfect eyes, placed perfectly apart. Her most perfect feature was her smile. It revealed the most perfect set of teeth.

The owner of the store placed her in the middle of the doll display. Some of the other dolls became jealous of the way the Store owner flaunted her.

"I don’t know why they were jealous!" Cindy huffed. "After all, I am more perfect than them. They should understand that."

"Yes Cindy, now may I get on with the story?"

"Sorry, do go on."

Cindy has the most perfect manners.

Christmas would be here soon. Cindy was looking forward for her new owner.

"Of course I shall have the most perfect owner," said Cindy.

"No I shall have her," Chatty Cathy said.

"No I," Singing Sandy declared.

"You’ll all see," said Cindy. "I shall have THE most perfect owner. For only she will buy me, the perfect doll."

Looking down the store aisle, Cindy spied a young girl slowly walking towards them. She was exactly what Cindy had imagined her new owner to look like.

"Oh come closer! See me," Cindy prayed, as the young girl walked down the aisle.

"Come buy me!" Chatty Cathy whispered.

"Silly doll!" Cindy said with a laugh. "She will only look at perfection. That’s me!"

Cindy’s grin grew her widest, as the perfect owner was standing before her. She held her breath, as the girls hand reached out, to grab Cindy.

"Oh mother!" The young girl cried. "I want this doll. She’s the most perfect doll I have ever seen."

Cindy had dreams of living in the girl’s home. Of course, she would be placed in a special place. A place she could call her own. Suddenly her dreams were shattered, as she felt a large hand grabbing her right arm.

"I want that doll!" she heard another girl shout.

"No, she’s mine! I saw her first," the first girl cried out. They tugged and pulled on poor Cindy.

"On no, they are ruining my perfect dress," Cindy moaned.

Suddenly a snap was heard, and one of the girls was flung back. One girl still held Cindy’s body, but her right arm was now missing. It was in the hands of the other girl.

"She’s broken!" the first girl said, with a stamp of her foot. "I don’t want her now, you can have her!" She threw Cindy to the other girl, and stormed away.

"I don’t want a broken doll," the girl said, as she threw Cindy on the floor, along with her broken arm.

"Oh no, poor Cindy," Chatty Cathy sobbed.

"Poor Cindy," Singing Sandy moaned.

"My perfect arm!" Cindy cried out. "It’s gone! I’m no longer perfect!" Cindy wailed.

"Oh no, it’s the dump for her," Chatty Cathy whispered.

"The dump for sure," Singing Sandy agreed.

"What happened here?" the store owner said. He picked Cindy up, along with her arm.

"Oh no, someone broke her." Try as he might, he could not get her arm back on. "I can’t sell her this way," the Store owner grumped. He carried her past Chatty Cathy. "Bye Cindy," she heard her say.

She was rushed by Singing Sandy. "Bye Cindy," she sighed.

She was taken to the back of the store, thrown on a pile of broken toys.

"What am I to do?" Cindy cried. "I was perfect! No one will buy me now."

Cindy remained on the pile of broken toys. Soon others were piled on top of her. The days flew by, until it was Christmas Eve. Cindy knew, because she heard the toys on top telling her.

"Once Christmas is gone, we all go to the dump," a broken sailboat said.

"I don’t want to go to a dump!" Cindy sobbed. "I wanted to be owned by the perfect owner."

"That’s never going to happen," a snow globe said, with a chuckle. He was dropped on the floor, and his globe was cracked. All of his water spilled out. "You’re going to end up in the dump, with the rest of us broken toys."

Cindy’s perfect smile curved to a frown. As she began to believe she would end up, never loved by a little girl.

"Someone’s coming," the broken sailboat hissed. All the toys grew silent as they saw an elderly man stepping up to the broken pile of toys.

"Is this the pile you spoke of?" The elderly man shouted.

"That’s it, take what you want," the store owner returned, as he stepped up behind the man.

The Elderly man shifted through the pile of broken toys. Cindy was surprised to see the Elderly man smile widely, as he picked her up.

"This is perfect!" the man whispered.

Cindy never thought she would have heard that name used with her again.

"Can I have this one?" he asked the Store owner.

"But her arm is missing." The store owner made sure to point that out.

"I know, that’s what makes her perfect."

"If you want her, she’s yours," the store owner said.

"Great!" the elderly man said. "Hey, I thought the Cindy dolls were supposed to be smiling. This one has a frown."

Cindy hadn't been able to smile since the day she lost her arm.

"You still want her?" The owner said.

"Yes, please." He tucked her in the confines of his coat. Cindy began to have bad thoughts of what the store owner wanted to do with her. She couldn’t imagine being called perfect. Not with one of her arms missing.

It was hours later, that she was pulled out of the coat. Fixing her dress and hair, the Elderly man’s eyes brightly smiled, as he placed Cindy in a box.

"Perfect," he sighed.

From the darkness of the box, Cindy tried to fathom why this man thought she was perfect.

Her answer came, as she heard the giggling of children. "Oh no!" she thought. "No one will like me. I’m not perfect anymore," she sobbed. "I’m going to end up in the dump, I just know it."

Cindy was jostled in her box, as she felt herself being handed to someone.

"This is for you little one," she heard the elderly man say.

"She won’t like me," Cindy sobbed. "One look at my missing arm, and she’ll throw me away."

Cindy heard paper being torn. She braced herself for the horror on the young girl’s face. She saw the lid being pulled open. Bright light poured into the box.

As she became adjusted to the light, Cindy saw the most perfect face looking down at her. She had the brightest smile. Her eyes were curious as she gazed in wonder at her.

Doctor Reiner pulled Cindy out of her box, it was then she saw something that almost made her cry.

Christy had no right arm.

"I thought she could be your special friend," Doctor Reiner said. "Her name is Cindy. It seems she had a accident.."

Doctor Reiner held Cindy in front of Christy. She sadly gazed at the doll. Christy’s mother sat behind her. It had been days since Christy had said a word. Not since they had to amputate her arm. The hospital had tried everything to make her talk. Nothing worked.

"See Christy, she had an accident, and is missing her arm, just like you. What do you think she is feeling?"

"Oh poor thing," Christy sadly whispered. As she gently took Cindy from the Doctor's hands.

Christy’s mother held back her tears, as she finally heard her daughter speak. "I know just how you feel. I’ve only just lost my arm."

"I think she needs a friend," the doctor said. "Think you can be that for her?"

"I can try," Christy said.

The Doctor stepped back, as Christy began to tell the doll all that happened to her. About the accident, and how terrible she felt.

When the doctor saw Cindy, he knew right away she would be perfect for Christy. The young girl needed someone to let out her anger, and fears. The one armed doll was the perfect release.

"Let’s leave them alone for now," the doctor whispered.

"I’ve seen those dolls before. I heard they were supposed to be the perfect doll. Now I believe it." The mother said. Her smile of joy growing as she saw the pain from her daughters face slowly washing away.

"They have the most beautiful smiles."

Doctor Reiner gazed at the doll in Christy’s hands. He had to blink twice. The frown was no longer there. Instead was the most perfect smile.

"Well I’ll be," the doctor said. "I guess miracles do exist."

Cindy put on her biggest grin, as Christy held her tightly.

"I promise I’ll always be here for you Cindy. I’ll be sure to take special care of you. After all, we have to stick together."

The little girl brought Cindy home. She kept her promise. She took good care of her. Even after she grew up. For she would always be a symbol of hope for her. When she would feel down about her injury, Cindy would always be there to perk her up.

Cindy realized that being perfect was not so important. For even though she was missing her arm, she was still loved deeply.

Christy soon made her realize, it was not what was outside, but what was inside that counted.

Cindy would always be the Perfect Christmas Doll, for she was and would always be that...Christy.

song playing....Behold a Miracle

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