" Here we are girls! We made it at last!" shouted my mother. Anyssa and I peered out the car window and what we saw before us brought huge smiles to our faces. There was a a sign that showed two cartoon-like children skipping and in between them was a bunny wearing glasses. Below the sign said " Give kids the World."
Give Kids the World is a storybook themed resort that only exists to fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening diseases along with their families to experience the most memorable,enjoyable, and cost-free vacation to the nearby theme parks. Ever since birth, Anyssa has been suffering from Congenital Muscular Dystrophy which is a genetic disorder that constantly weakens the muscles that helps the body move. She has undergone physical therapy twice a week, endured four surgeries, and has attended a countless number of doctor appointments. Only because of the Make-A-Wish foundation, our family was given the chance to get away from it all by taking a spectacular vacation.
In the heart of this whimsical land was an oversized red mushroom that housed a wheelchair accessible carousel. Along the side of the mushroom was a tall old-fashioned looking castle. This was called the Castle of Miracles. When we walked inside through the castle's wooden doors, we were greeted by one of the volunteers. She brought Anyssa over to a small table that looked like a tree stump which had a black box on top. I looked up and was amazed by the glittering sight above me. There were golden glass stars covering the entire ceiling.
Each star had the name of each child who has ever visited Give Kids the World. Anyssa was given her very own glass star. My sister excitedly wrote her name on it with a sharpie like all the other children had done and placed the star in the box. The volunteer told her to close her eyes and make a wish. She closed her eyes and did what she was told. When she opened her eyes, the star disappeared! All of a sudden, the sound of bells jingling was heard. On a nearby screen, a purple fairy appeared with Anyssa's golden star and with a wave with her wand she vanished. The volunteer informed us that the fairy took the star and was figuring out where to place it on the ceiling. We would get a letter from the fairy the next day to tell us exactly what spot Anyssa's star was placed.
Sure enough, early the next morning, Anyssa got the letter that we have all been waiting for. We hurriedly got dressed and ate breakfast at the Gingerbread house. Then we excitedly headed back to the castle. We looked at the ceiling and with the help of a volunteer we finally found Anyssa's star among many others. This was a truly a magical moment for us all because her star will always be there forever.
I will never forget the wonderful time we had together. This trip brought the gift of happiness to my sister which is one of the best medicines anyone can receive. Not only did it bring happiness, it also brought hope. This made me realize that if everyone used their gifts that they were given, we too can bring joy to another person's life. Together we can make a difference in our world today.
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