Finding Sofia: Be Inspired

By Lucy Crisetig

Sofia is a thirteen-year-old with an open heart and great ideas. She has been content to stay in the background for most of her life until this turning point.

Crucial relationships with her family and friends seem to be falling apart. In the midst of struggling to understand that, an enormous environmental challenge at school has stirred up a passion in Sofia that she never knew existed. She is reeling from the pressure and feels all alone. She has no idea of what to do.

Aura knows Sofias never been alone and she knows exactly what she could do. Aura is the Guidance Sofia has forgotten about. She does her best to remind Sofia that shes there, only a breath away. If Sofia could find her Self and ask for help, then Aura could step in.

Will the pressure be too much for Sofia? Can she dig deep to find her Self? What can Aura possibly do?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Jan 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9781452598888

Lucy Crisetig

After a positive career as a graphic designer, Lucy chose to raise her children full-time. That led her to many years of volunteer work in schools with children, faculty and parents. Upon graduating from three courses at the Institute of Children’s Literature, Lucy has been successful in a number of competitions with her short stories. The power of the imagination coming through story telling, art and design have always been her passion. Lucy lives with her husband, two children and their adorable cat in Ontario, Canada. www.lucycrisetig.com

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Copyright © 2015 Lucy Crisetig.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4525-9887-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4525-9889-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4525-9888-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014920550

Balboa Press rev. date: 01/13/2015

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

With deep gratitude and love,

I thank my husband and children for their

awesome support throughout the evolution of this book.

Thank you to my ever encouraging family and friends,

especially Pamyla for your advice.

CHAPTER ONE

"Do you think she’s going to another school?" asks Vanessa.

Maybe that’s it, says Kaela.

Or she’s just retiring, says Ben.

No way! Dude, she’s not that old, says Max, slapping Ben on the shoulder.

Maybe she just wants to stop teaching, Max. Chill!

Ms. Hampton has been teaching here for longer than I’ve been at Seeringville Elementary. All of us in grade eight feel pretty close to her.

It’s recess and although it is clear of snow underneath our tree, the ground is still too wet to sit on. There aren’t many trees for shade on school property but since we’re the senior kids, we get first dibs on the trees. It’s an unspoken rule.

What do you think Ms. H’s big announcement tomorrow is gonna be, Olivia? I ask. Olivia and I have been best friends for years.

I dunno, Sofia. Maybe we’re all just in major trouble, she chuckles.

Everyone chuckles nervously then it’s quiet, as if weighing that as a possibility.

Uh-oh, what if that’s it? says Kaela.

Max, it’s probably your fault, says Brigit, with a smile on her face.

Aw, c’mon! What’d I do this time?

We all laugh. Poor Max always seems to get in trouble. He can’t seem to help but challenge rules that don’t make sense to him. I sometimes admire that. Not the getting into trouble part, though. I could never speak up the way he does.

This is crazy out here! says Hanna. She stomps over to our group and waves her arms around her head as though she’s batting buzzing bees out of the way. It’s way too cold to expect even one in sight.

Why? I ask. I don’t understand who wouldn’t love this weather. After a long, cold winter, when the snow finally starts to melt, people get excited. At least I do. I could stay out here all day to soak up this sun it’s so relaxing.

Sofia, did you not see that I had to dodge footballs, basketballs and tiny kindergarteners running around just to get over here? Someone should rein these little kids in!

Oh chill! blurts Max.

C’mon Max, says Ben. Let’s go play some soccer with the guys. I watch as Ben practically drags Max away.

It’s not worth it, man, I hear Ben say to him as they walk away.

Relax Hanna, it’s recess. Everyone just wants to have some fun, says Brigit.

That’s what the gym is for, Hanna replies, flatly. Besides, this weather isn’t what everyone thinks. It’s not gonna last. Just wait, in a few days it’ll be really cold again, probably even snow. Her tightly cropped dark brown hair makes her eyes look like they’re about to pop out of their sockets when she gets so worked up.

I think I’m gonna go walk around, says Vanessa.

Yeah, good idea, says Brigit.

I’m coming too, says Kaela.

I look at Olivia, hoping she wants to go along, but she asks Hanna something about the student council meeting instead. Olivia and I always spend recesses together, so I decide to hang around.

I’m the treasurer and I’d still like to see where all that money for the dance went, Hanna says.

What do you mean? I ask.

Hey, it didn’t look like there was a hundred and fifty bucks worth of decorations there, Olivia says. Hanna nods her head. Clearly they’ve already had this conversation.

I have heard Hanna say all kinds of things about people, especially about Theresa since even before their friendship ended a few months ago, but Olivia? Since when does she talk so suspiciously about someone she hardly knows? It’s not like Olivia to be like… Hanna. I have always felt light around Olivia. That’s one of the things that makes our friendship so easy. Hanna makes me feel much heavier, like I’m dragging a weight around with me.

Sofia doesn’t realize that her negative thoughts and feelings are not her true nature. That’s why they don’t feel good. It’s unnatural.

My name is Aura. Sofia and I have been together all her life. I helped guide her into this world. She has grown so much.

It’s true, her physical body is nothing like it was even a couple of years ago. Right down to her ten trillion cells, most are completely new and totally different than the ones that were supporting her then.

Where it is so amazing to see her growth though, is in her spirit. All the experiences she’s been having have caused her to grow more and more. They’ve helped her to know her Self better and better, even if she doesn’t completely realize it.

I’ve been in Sofia’s life for so long because I am her Angel. Or Guide, or Spirit Guide. It doesn’t really matter what I’m called. The main thing is that she is never left on the Earth Plane alone. Ever. No one is.

With Theresa as the student council president, there’s no way she spent all that money on decorations, says Hanna, shaking her head. Have you heard her excuse for the dry ice machine? It was totally non-existent!

Theresa told me that the DJ brought the dry ice machine and it didn’t work.

Oh Sofia, you can’t believe anything she says. Theresa’s not what you think she is, says Hanna.

I glance at Olivia, who just looks down at the snow she’s moving around with her toe. I look back over at Hanna and I’m astonished to see sort of a satisfied smile on her face.

We should have gotten our money back then, says Olivia.

"So, are you saying that she actually stole the money?" I ask.

Well, why doesn’t she show the whole class the list of what she spent it on? says Olivia.

Hanna and Theresa used to hang out together constantly. According to Hanna, they did everything together. Funny, I never heard Theresa say they were that close. I know Theresa well enough to know that she wouldn’t steal from the class. That would be pretty low. This whole conversation feels so wrong. But what bothers me most is the way Olivia is acting. What’s getting into her?

Theresa wouldn’t steal money, Hanna, I say.

Hanna looks away. A totally awkward silence makes ten seconds feel like ten hours. Out of the blue, Hanna changes the subject.

On the weekends I usually chill with my older sister and her friends. They’re so much more mature.

That was random.

Really, Hanna? I’m a little surprised her sister lets her do that. Who is she trying to impress anyway. She really annoys me now and inside I’m feeling a little antsy, like it’s time to get up and leave.

Maybe she’ll follow this guidance to leave, although Sofia doesn’t listen to me much anymore.

We made a deal before she was born that she would experience the experiences and I would give her the guidance.

When she was younger in age and she could see me, we had so much fun. None of the adults around her knew who her invisible friend was. They couldn’t see me. As time went on and she grew, gradually she stopped seeing me. Although, she sometimes still asked me, in her head or out loud, to be with her so she could feel better, be more confident, or make the right choice. The last few years that has also faded away. I know she’ll remember one day.

Instead, I continue, Doesn’t that bug your sister? I know mine would hate that.

Your sister’s probably not cool like mine is, Hanna says and waves me off with her hand. Then she turns to Olivia, You’d have fun with us. Next time I’ll call you and you can hang with us.

Okay, says Olivia dropping her smile as she quickly glances at me. Sofia you’ll come too, right?

Yeah, sure.

I’m not really feeling it though. She just put down my sister. No one gets to do that but me.

CHAPTER TWO

"Hey Olivia! C’mon, I have a surprise!"

I’m coming, Sofia. Olivia finally shows up, laughing. Her short light brown hair is all messed up. I tripped over the log back there. It was the funniest thing.

You okay? I laugh and help her brush off the dry leaves from her jeans. How could you forget about that log? It’s been there forever.

Totally, but you’re the one who knows this place inside out. This forest is practically right in your backyard, Olivia says.

A random feather in her path, a violet sunset or a rainbow, even a whisper in her ear or a brush on her skin are some little hints I give her to remind her that I’m here and I will never give up. Sofia is so loved and honoured as she is. She is a brave soul for choosing to be on Earth, as is every human.

Just look at all the decisions she has to make everyday on Earth. We understand how confusing it can be. The signs and subtle clues could make the choices easier if she could just be still enough to listen.

I can’t stay very long. You know my parents, it’s after school and I have homework. What did you want to show me? Olivia says.

Okay, here it is!

Oh my gosh! Is this the surprise? says Olivia. We haven’t dug this up in such a long time.

I thought it would be really fun to go through this stuff. The box is all rusted and kind of icky from being buried for a couple of years, but it’s still in one piece.

Wow, you can still read the writing on it. My uncle still sends my mom cookies from Germany in these boxes, says Olivia. I always think about our Friendship Box when he sends another one. Open it, open it!

We didn’t think to put everything into a plastic bag and then into the box, so our little mementos have definitely looked better.

Remember this? Olivia reaches into the box