Self Awareness: Uniquely Me and Uniquely You

"I have a really wonderful idea," said Jessie to Brenda, her best friend who were both eleven years old.

"You always have such good ideas. I wish I was more like you," replied Brenda. "It is always you who comes up with all of the new ideas. I just follow along. Your ideas are usually good ones! So, go ahead and tell me what that wild imagination of yours is dreaming up now."

Secretly, Brenda was extremely jealous of Jessie, but she not about to tell her that. Her own self-esteem was not good at all and she knew it. Every time that they were together it seemed to get worse too, as Jessie could outshine her in every way. Each time that she developed a bit of self-confidence and respect for herself, she found her ego deflated again.

"You and I need to expand our doll's clothing fashion line," said Jessie very seriously.

"I agree," said Brenda. "Now why did I not think of that first?" she wondered. "What do you have in mind this time?"

"Remember that article that I was telling you about on clothing and fashion trends, a really long time ago? Did you ever look it up on the internet?" Jessie asked. "Well, did you or not?"

"Sorry, no, I was too busy," replied Brenda. "Now why didn't I make time to do that?" she asked herself silently. "I wish I had, because now Jessie is going to come up with something that is really far out and I cannot take any of the credit for it. I am so dumb. I cannot believe that I did not do that."

"I saved that article. I have been thinking seriously about it lately. Too bad you did not read that article. Gee, I wish you had. This could be a whole, new line of doll clothes for us to design and create. It might even sell too, because the idea is a good one." Jessie said. "I wonder if Brenda is really into this doll fashion thing at all?" she asked herself. "If she is, she sure is not doing any homework on it. She certainly has had enough time."

"Well, I am waiting," said Brenda, who was interested, but still a bit embarrassed about not doing her research.

"There was another idea in that same article. I think you might really go for this one. Actually, I am going to retire at thirteen," Jessie said. "I will be rich!"

"I doubt it," said Brenda. "You spend your money far too fast. Anyhow, you will have to hurry because that is only two years away. By then, we will both be teenagers."

"I know. I always spend my money as fast as I get it. If only I was thrifty like you. This is a really good idea though," said Jessie. "Trust me."

"Are you going to tell me or not?" said Brenda, starting to get a bit irritated with Jessie. "Can you give me a copy of that article?"

"Yes, I can do that. I am going to tell you too, even if you make fun of the idea," replied Jessie.

"All right, I promise that I won't make fun of it." said Brenda. "Besides that, it might turn out to be a really good idea for our school project."

"There was a new word for another line of clothes. They are called wufflies," said Jessie. "Now don't laugh. I know that is really a weird word."

Brenda could scarcely keep from laughing. "Wufflies?" she said keeping a straight face. "What on earth are a wufflies? I have never heard of that word! I have heard of waffles and ruffles."

"Wufflies is the word that was used for clothes that are designed for the uniquely me, uniquely you kind of girls, like us. We are full of energy and live life well, but as ourselves. No one tells us what to wear, or how to wear it, other than our moms, of course.” Jessie continued. "We could design a new, wufflies fashion line of clothing for our dolls."

"Not a bad idea at all," said Brenda, after thinking about it for a moment. "Maybe we could design a shawl or a long scarf with a fringe and a full length wrap around skirt with a fringe too, something that works for our dolls?"

"How about designing a poncho with a long fringe and culottes with a matching fringe? I really like that fringe idea! Hey Brenda, you came up with that idea, good for you! That is original! I just love it!"

"Wow! This just might fly!" said Brenda. "I could draw all of those pieces of clothing on the computer first and then we could print them out and work on them together. I could design a tote bag and a wrap-around vest with a fringe. I like shirts with big sleeves, do you? I am sure that our dolls would love them too. So would the other girls."

"Well, I'll tell you what! You work on some designs. We will pool all of our ideas together and then decide which ones we like the best. Then, we will start sewing. Think that would work?" asked Jessie. She was relieved to see that Brenda was now starting to contribute some ideas too.

"I think you really are my best friend," said Brenda. "Maybe I am not so dumb after all?" she said to herself. 

"I wonder if I can do fashion design. I might need to do some research first in order to find out how. I think I had better read that article this time."

"Imagine that," said Jessie. "Uniquely me and uniquely you. Brenda, you are the best!"

"I am uniquely me," said Brenda. "And you are uniquely you!"

"And the other way around too, and next we will be designing clothes for ourselves."

"Wufflies?" they both asked at the same time and laughed.