You both are beautiful, intelligent, and gifted, no matter what anyone says. I want you to use your intelligence and talents as much as you can, but for the sake of goodness. Encourage others to believe that they are beautiful as well, because everyone is, and if you are able, please help other less fortunate than yourselves. I know that it's easy to take advantage of all the wonderful things you have, but there are so many people in the world who have almost nothing. I hope you'll remember what I just told you, and pass it on to your children, as well." After that, he had tucked his daughters into bed. Valerie couldn't stop pondering the deep message that her father had sent to her and her sister while settling under the covers, and now it was flooding her brain all over again, causing her to shed a few tears and long for her father to somehow magically appear in front of her.
               She lifted her cordless phone from its base before dialing Melissa's number, because she knew that out of all her friends, Melissa was the most sensitive and the best listener.  After Valerie explained what her father had taught her, Melissa was silent for a second. Then she exclaimed with disbelief, "Val, are you okay? Since your father died you've been acting a little strange."
"I'm fine. But after all these years of ignoring my father's words, I'm ready to act on them," Valerie responded in an "I'm not joking" tone, a tone of voice that she rarely  used, especially not around her friends.
Valerie could hear Melissa typing on her computer. Seconds later, Melissa spoke again, still in surprise, "I'm instant-messaging Amy. She thinks your crazy and demanded to know what's going on with you."
"I'm just trying to add some sincerity to my life, that's all," Valerie replied in a  hurt manner. She was disgusted with her friends for being so supportive of her during and after the funeral, but now were acting as though nothing had happened. "What is wrong with you guys? I'm just trying to tell you something important."
Carly signed onto instant messenger just then, and when Amy and Melissa told her about the changes that had suddenly come over Valerie, she typed in big letters to express her perplexity, WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY FRIEND VALERIE?! Valerie sighed, knowing that getting her point across to her friends wasn't going  to work, so she told her friends she would see them at school tomorrow before hanging up.
Over the next few days, Valerie was more subdued than ever, and her friends didn't exactly avoid her or act unkindly towards her, but they were quieter than usual, as well. Valerie was quiet because she was still upset that her friends had almost ditched her
when she needed them and had said something nice to them. Her friends were quiet
because they were not sure whether or not to give more hugs and advice to Valerie or to let her behavior roll off their backs and chalk it up as something that people went through after losing a loved one.
          The same behavior continued among the girls over the weekend, so much so that the phone stayed quiet at Valerie's house, but it was practically making music in the homes of the other girls.
                On Monday morning, Valerie was smiling on the outside but seething inside, so she avoided her friends altogether.
"Well, if she's going to avoid us, maybe we should ignore her, too," Lauren suggested to her clique. That's exactly what they did. For the rest of the week, Valerie ate lunch with her sister, and her friends solemnly roamed around campus, exchanging half-hearted chatter and nibbling on whatever food they wanted. They missed the witty humor and advice that often came out of Valerie's mouth. Finally, out of the blue, Mary remarked, "Guys, I think what Valerie's father said was right. I also don't think that this
is a grieving phase; I think she was being sincere."
"You're right. I feel like I drove the old Valerie away for good after what I said to her," Carly replied in a disappointed tone.
The next morning, Valerie's friends met her outside of school, apologizing profusely for ignoring her and not taking her seriously, especially when she was going through such a difficult time.
"I'm sorry too," Valerie answered while looking her friends in the eyes. "I shouldn't have sprung that speech from my father on you so spontaneously. I forgive you guys, but only if you forgive me."
"We do!" chorused the rest of the girls with giggles and big smiles. Gradually, the girls began to follow the advice that Valerie had given to them, thanks to her father, and after a while, the girls were no longer insulting the external beauty and uniqueness of
others, but telling themselves and each other a certain sentence over and over again; We are one family under the same sky.