Lily loved dress-up! Her attic was full of wonderful clothes – sparkly dresses, silly hats, and even a bright red pirate coat. But tonight, Lily felt a little bit sad. She couldn’t decide *what* to be. She tried on a princess dress, but it didn’t feel quite right. Then she tried a firefighter’s helmet, but she didn’t feel brave, just…hot!
“Oh dear,” sighed Lily. “I want to be someone amazing, but I don’t know who!” Her grandma, Nana Rose, peeked her head into the attic. Nana Rose always knew what to say. “Amazing isn’t about *who* you dress up as, Lily-bug,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “It’s about *how* you play the part. Close your eyes and imagine!”
Lily closed her eyes tight. She imagined she was a friendly explorer, discovering a brand new land filled with giggling flowers and rainbow rivers. She grabbed a khaki vest, a magnifying glass, and a floppy sun hat. Suddenly, she *felt* adventurous! She started mapping out the attic floor with crayons, naming all the furniture as exciting landmarks.
Next, she imagined she was a kind doctor, helping all her stuffed animals feel better. She put on a white coat and carefully bandaged up Barnaby Bear’s arm with a colorful scarf. “There you go, Barnaby,” she said gently. “All better!” Barnaby seemed to smile back.
Then, she pretended to be a sparkly space traveler, zooming to the moon in a silver dress and a helmet made of a mixing bowl. She made whooshing sounds and pretended to collect moon rocks (which were actually just smooth pebbles from the garden).
Lily realized Nana Rose was right! It wasn’t the clothes that made her amazing, it was her imagination. She could be *anyone* she wanted to be, and each character was fun and special in their own way. She didn’t need to pick just one!
She twirled around in a mix of all her favorite dress-up clothes – the pirate coat, the princess crown, and the space helmet! She giggled and giggled. Nana Rose smiled. “See, Lily-bug?” she said. “You are amazing just the way you are, and your imagination makes everything even brighter.”
Lily gave Nana Rose a big hug. She was tired now, but happy. She knew that even when she closed her eyes to sleep, her imagination would take her on wonderful adventures. And that, she thought, was the most magical dress-up of all. Now close *your* eyes, little one, and let your imagination soar!