O n ce U p o n a T im e T h e re W as Yo u

T h re e M ag ic S e cre ts to F i n d i n g Yo u r R e al

S e lf

b y M aia M e rri l B e re n s

Par t One

The St or y

O n ce u p o n a tim e th e re w as

m e …

T h i s i s a s to ry ab o u t a c h i ld li k e e ve ry

o th e r c h i ld .

S o m e w h e re i n a to w n m u ch li k e

yo u rs , w as b o rn a ve ry s p e c ial li ttle

g i rl.

W h e n s h e w as b o rn , th e s k y fi lle d w i th

rain b o w s an d s tars , an d an g e ls h o ve re d

all aro u n d – ju s t li k e w h e n an y ch i ld i s

b o rn an yw h e re .

T h i s li ttle g i rl w as a ve ry s p ark ly

an d s tar-li k e b ab y. L i k e all li ttle

c h i ld re n b o rn e ve ryw h e re , s h e

tru ly g lo w e d w i th Po w e r.

M an y m ag i cal an d m ys ti cal

q u ali ti e s i n s tan tly s h i n e d fro m

h e r li ttle face th e m o m e n t s h e

w as b o rn .

S h e w as b ri g h t w i th cu ri o s i ty an d

lu m i n o u s w i th i n te llig e n c e . S h e w as a

b ab y s o rce re s s o f jo y.

H e r lo vi n g h e art m ad e p e o p le

aro u n d h e r e i th e r fall i n lo ve

w i th e ach o th e r all o ve r ag ain

-- o r s o m e fo u n d lo ve fo r th e

ve ry fi rs t tim e .

H e r e n rap tu ri n g , fu n n y s e n s e o f h u m o r

s e n t e ve ryo n e i n to g ale s o f g ig g le s .

R ain b o w s an d s tars an d an g e ls

s u rro u n d e d h e r w i th n o e n d i n s i g h t.

O n e an d all th at saw h e r, li t u p . Ju s t

b e i n g w i th h e r, ju s t vi s i ti n g , ju s t

s e e i n g h e r i n h e r b ab y b e d m ad e th e

ad u lts w an t to h u rry h o m e an d h ave

m o re b ab i e s . S h e m ad e th e m w an t to

g o h o m e an d w ri te b o o k s , g o h o m e

an d w ri te p o e m s . T h at’s w h o s h e w as .

W h at h ap p e n e d to h e r h ap p e n s to m o s t

ch i ld re n b o rn tim e w i th o u t e n d .

As th e li ttle g i rl g re w , h e r w e ll-

m e an i n g m o th e r o b s cu re d h e r li ttle

g i rl’s li g h t i n m an y, m an y w ays . I n

tim e s p as t, h e r m o th e r’s li g h t h ad also

b e e n d im m e d i n c o u n tle s s w ays .

W ith o u t m e an in g to h u rt h e r li ttle g i rl,

w i th o u t w an ti n g to d o i t, b u t b y ju s t n o t

k n o w in g b e tte r an d n o t b e i n g ab le to h e lp

h e rs e lf, i t h ap p e n e d an yw ay.

T h e rai n b o w s an d s tars b e g an to d i sap p e ar

an d rai n c lo u d s s tarte d to tak e th e i r p lace .

T h e an g e ls h ad a h ard tim e g e tti n g c lo s e

to h e r.

An d h e r fath e r’s li g h t w as d i ffe re n t --

m o re i llu m i n ate d i n s o m e w ays b u t

m u rk i e r i n o th e rs . H e tri e d . H e w an te d

h e r li g h t to s tay b rig h t b u t h e d i d n ’t k n o w

h o w to k e e p i t s o . An d i n h i s w ay, a

re ally d e e p an d d ark w ay, h e alm o s t

craw le d i n s i d e h e r an d d im m e d h e r li g h t

fro m i n s i d e .

As th e ye ars w e n t b y, m an y p e o p le ,

m o s tly w e ll- m e an i n g , k e p t cas ti n g c lo u d s

o n th e li ttle g i rl’s li g h t. T h e y to ld h e r s h e

n e e d e d to b e d i ffe re n t th an s h e w as . S h e

e n d e d u p fe e li n g d u ll an d li g h tle s s .

T h u s th e li ttle g i rl d e c i d e d th at w h e n

s h e w as all g ro w n u p , s h e w o u ld g e t

m arri e d b e cau s e m o vi e s an d T V

p ro m i s e d th at m arriag e w o u ld

b ri g h te n e ve ryo n e ’s li g h t an d e ve ryo n e

w o u ld li ve h ap p i ly-e ve r-afte r.

S o , s h e s e t o u t to th e co lle g e o f h e r

m o th e r’s ch o i c e w h e re th e ri g h t k i n d

o f b o y co u ld b e fo u n d to m arry an d

w h o w o u ld , ju s t li k e i n th e m o vi e s ,

b ri g h te n h e r li g h t.

I n s te ad o f fi n d i n g a yo u n g m an b o y

li g h t w h o w as b ri g h t, jo yfu l, b e au ti fu l,

s h e fo u n d a b o y w h o s e li g h t h ad als o

b e e n d im m e d an d tarn i s h e d i n

n u m e ro u s w ays b y m an y p e o p le an d

u n to ld e ve n ts .

T h e y m arri e d , th i n k i n g th e y co u ld h ave a

b ri g h t an d h ap p y fu tu re .

B u t th e y co u ld n o t. D ark n e s s d o e s n o t

b e g e t li g h t.

S o o n th e y h ad s o m e c h i ld re n w h o

w e re all b o rn w i th th e sam e jo y an d

li g h t an d b e au ty an d rai n b o w s

s u rro u n d e d b y an g e ls as th e i r p are n ts

an d g ran d p are n ts -- an dyo u r p are n ts an d yo u r g ran d p are n ts

--w e re all b o rn w i th , to o .

T h e i r p are n ts lo ve d th e m ve ry,

ve ry m u ch an d n e ve r

i n te n ti o n ally b e c lo u d e d th e i r

li g h t – b u t n e ve rth e le s s , i t

cam e to p as s .

O n e d ay afte r ye ars o f p ai n fu l d ark n e s s , th e

W o m an -W h o -W as-th e -G irl-W h o -W as -th e -L ig h t

d e c i d e d to tak e h e rs e lf an d h e r c h i ld re n aw ay.

S h e w as afrai d th at i f s h e s taye d i n th at d ark

m arriag e an y lo n g e r h e r li g h t w o u ld b e co m e

e x ti n g u i s h e d an d s h e ’d n e ve r ag ain s e e an o th e r

rain b o w o r s tar o r s p e ak w i th th e an g e ls .

S h e d i d n ’t h ave e ve n a g lim p s e o f w h at th e i r

fu tu re co u ld b e – n o t a h i n t, n o t a w h i s p e r.

B u t s h e to o k th e c h i ld re n an d s h e s tarte d all

o ve r ag ain -- n o t as a ch i ld w i th th e li g h t

an d th e jo y an d th e cu ri o s i ty fu lly li t fu lly

b rig h t s u rro u n d e d b y rai n b o w s an d s tars , b u t

as a w o m an w h o s e cre tly p raye d th at th e

co n n e c ti o n th at s h e ’d alw ays h ad to th e

Po w e r h ad n e ve r g o n e aw ay.

S h e h e ld w i th i n h e r h e art th e vi s i o n th at

s h e m ig h t h ave rai n b o w s i n s te ad o f rai n

c lo u d s s u rro u n d i n g h e r an d h e r ch i ld re n

o n ce ag ain .

O n e d ay as s h e an d h e r c h i ld re n w e re

s tarti n g to g e t u s e d to li vi n g i n m o re li g h t,

s h e m e t h e r W i s e F ai ry G o d M o th e r. H e r

W is e F ai ry G o d M o th e r h ad alre ad y w alk e d

o n th e p ath o u t o f th e d ark n e s s an d i n to

th e li g h t an d w as co m p le te ly s u rro u n d e d

b y rai n b o w s w i th n ary a rai n c lo u d i n

s i g h t.

T h e W i s e F ai ry G o d M o th e r to ld th e

W o m an -W h o -W as -th e -G irl to call h e r fo r

te n m i n u te s e ve ry d ay at te n m i n u te s afte r

e i g h t. S h e to ld h e r i f s h e d i d th i s an d

n e ve r fo rg o t, s h e w o u ld le arn T h re e M ag i c

S e cre ts an d m an y m iracu lo u s th i n g s w o u ld

h ap p e n i n c lu d i n g rai n b o w s an d s tars . An d

as th e y s p o k e , li ttle rai n b o w s b e g an to

ap p e ar m i x e d i n w i th th e rai n c lo u d s .

An o th e r d ay th e W o m an -W h o -W as-th e -G irl

w as d rivi n g d o w n th e s tre e t an d s o m e

te rri b le m o n s te r cras h e d an d d e n te d h e r

car. T h e W o m an -W h o -W as-th e -G irl w as

d re ad fu lly u p s e t an d d re ad fu lly afrai d . S h e

acte d as i f s h e w e re s ti ll i n th e d ark . S h e

w as s o u s e d to th e d ark . All s h e co u ld s e e

w e re rai n c lo u d s .

T h e ve ry n e x t d ay w h e n s h e calle d h e r

W i s e F airy G o d M o th e r at te n m i n u te s

afte r e i g h t, s h e to ld h e r W i s e F ai ry G o d

M o th e r all ab o u t i t; h o w th e m o n s te r h i t

h e r car an d d e n te d i t; h o w s h e w as afrai d

an d d re ad fu lly u p s e t; h o w th e re w e re n o

m o re li ttle rai n b o w s , ju s t rai n c lo u d s o n ce

ag ain .

H e r W is e F ai ry G o d M o th e r li s te n e d w i th lo vi n g

e ars an d as k e d th e W o m an -W h o -W as -th e -G irl a

q u e s ti o n th at co n tai n e d th e fi rs t o f th e 3 M ag i c

S e cre ts .

T h e W o m an -W h o -W as-th e -G irl h ad n e ve r h e ard s u ch

a q u e s ti o n i n re s p o n s e to h e r fe ar. I n h e r li fe

b e fo re , th e -W o m an -W h o -W as-th e -G irl h ad o n ly h e ard

m o re fe ar an d an g e r.

T h e W i s e F ai ry G o d M o th e r

as k e d , “And what did you l ear nAnd what did you l ear n?”

S o m e th i n g ve ry m ag i cal b e g an to h ap p e n i n

th e W o m an -W h o -W as-th e -G irl. S h e b e g an to

b ri g h te n . H e r lo ve an d jo y an d b e au ty

b e g an to s h o w . H e r ch i ld re n b e g an to

b ri g h te n to o b e cau s e n o m atte r w h at

h ap p e n e d , s h e as k e d h e rs e lf, “An d w h at d i d

I le arn ?” B ig g e r an d b i g g e r rai n b o w s

fo llo w e d th e m w h e re ve r th e y w e n t.

W ith e ve ryth i n g th at h ap p e n e d to h e r, s h e

as k e d h e rs e lf, “W h at d i d I le arnW h at d i d I le arn ?” an d h e r

li fe g o t m o re an d m o re b e au ti fu l w i th

m o re an d m o re rai n b o w s an d s tars

e ve ryd ay an d e ve ryw h e re . S h e h e ard lo ts

o f m e s sag e s fro m th e an g e ls , to o .

H e r W i s e F ai ry G o d M o th e r h ad tau g h t

h e r

Magic Secr et #1 – Life Is a School .

O n e m o rn in g w h e n th e W o m an -W h o -W as-th e -G irl

th o u g h t s h e m u s t b e re ad y to k n o w , s h e as k e d

h e r W is e F ai ry G o d M o th e r, “W h at i s th e n e x t

M ag i c S e cre t?”

As s h e w as ask i n g th e q u e s ti o n s h e re ali ze d

th e an sw e r - fro m th e ve ry fi rs t co n tact w i th

h e r W i s e F airy G o d M o th e r, s h e h ad alre ad y

b e e n g ive n

S h e re ali ze d th at g o i n g th ro u g h li fe w i th

s o m e o n e w h o care s an d li s te n s an d w an ts to

s h are i s an o th e r o f th e th re e p ro m i s e d

s e cre ts .

An d s h e u n d e rs to o d th at e ve ryo n e can h ave a

W i s e F airy G o d M o th e r o r W is e F ai ry G o d

F ath e r to g o alo n g w i th th e m o n th e jo u rn e y

o f li fe . T h e y n e e d o n ly ask .

Magic Secr et #2 – Fr iend In-Deed.

L i fe b e i n g w h at li fe i s , e ve ry d ay w as fi lle d

w i th ch alle n g e s an d o b s tacle s alo n g w i th

jo ys an d h ap p i n e s s . T h e W o m an -W h o -W as -

th e -G irl fo u n d th at e ve n th o u g h s h e h ad

le arn e d Magic Secr et #1 an d Magic Secr et #2,

th e re w as s ti ll s o m e th i n g m i s s i n g .

S o m e tim e s i t w as as i f an o ld p ai r o f d ark

g las s e s fo u n d i ts w ay o n to h e r n o s e . E ve n

th o u g h s h e k n e w th e re w e re rain b o w s an d

s tars an d th at th e an g e ls w e re alw ays n e ar,

e ve ryth i n g lo o k e d k i n d o f d ark .

T h e re w as s ti ll a p lace i n s i d e th at fe lt li k e i t

n e e d e d to b e fi lle d w i th s o m e th i n g . T h at’s w h e n

h e r W i s e F ai ry G o d M o th e r k n e w i t w as tim e to

te ach h e r Magic Secr et #3 – My Cup Runnet h Over . S h e tau g h t h e r to b e g rate fu l fo r e ve ryth i n g th at

h ap p e n s . S h e to ld h e r to tak e a p i e c e o f p ap e r

an d a p e n c i l an d s tart to w ri te d o w n e ve ryth i n g

fo r w h i ch s h e w as g rate fu l.

S h e to ld h e r i f s h e k e p t o n w ri ti n g , e ve n tu ally s h e

w o u ld fi n d th at h e r o ld d ark g las s e s w o u ld

m ag i cally d i sap p e ar an d s h e w o u ld s e e o n ly th e

b ri g h tn e s s o f th e rai n b o w s an d s tars an d th e e ve r-

p re s e n t an g e ls .

An d w h at th e W o m an -W h o -W as -th e -

G irl u n d e rs to o d w as , w i th th o s e Thr ee Magic Secr et s, s h e co u ld fi n d th e

s p ark le , fi n d th e li g h t, fi n d th e jo y,

fi n d w h o s h e w as w h e n s h e w as ve ry

fi rs t b o rn .

I f yo u w an t to fi n d th e s p ark le , th e li g h t,

th e jo y, fi n d w h o yo u w e re w h e n yo u w e re

ve ry fi rs t b o rn , all yo u n e e d to d o i s u s e

th e T h re e M ag i c S e cre ts .

Magic Secret #1 – Life Is a School

Magic Secret #2 – Fr iend In-Deed

Magic Secret #3 – My Cup Runnet h Over

An d w i th th o s e Magic Secr et s yo u to o w i ll

d i s co ve r h o w to fi n d th e s p ark le , th e li g h t,

th e jo y, fi n d w h o yo u w e re w h e n yo u w e re

ve ry fi rs t b o rn .

T h e Thr ee Magic Secr et s w i ll te ach yo u to o

h o w to fi n d th e li g h t.

O n ce u p o n a tim e th e re

w as yo u …

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You are now ready for Part Two: The Questionsof Once Upon a Time There Was You: Three Magic Secrets to

Finding Your Real Self