Timeout for Thank Yous

Greetings from the Kingdom of Midlandia.

I, in behalf of her Majesty the Queen, Crowned Prince Carlos and Princess Bianca wish to extend our most deepest gratitude to the good citizens of Bloggerville who have sent their most heartfelt felicitations on her Royal Highness Supreme’s 8^th birthday.

Ever the humble royal, the Princess took off her crown and majestic gown for one day and observed this momentous occasion with her family in the most intimate of gatherings. Hence, we celebrated this special day according to her desire.

This involved visiting a neighboring resort for an early morning dip in the pool, where the Princess exchanged a few laps with her brother, Prince Carlos, whom she always beat fair and square despite the fact that he’s a year and a half older. Queen Joy, ever the loving mother and wife, prepared a picnic of scrumptious sandwiches and lemon ice tea.

Come lunch time, it was my turn to delight the Princess with an exquisite dish. And so I toiled in the kitchen for more than 2 hours preparing her favorite Kaldereta recipe – a Filipino version of Beef Stew – and salad.

Not long after, the royal chamber became busy when the real celebration began to take place. Aunt Countess Chech arrived directly from a flight from Canada just to be with her niece on this special occasion. Aunt Princess Julie, though still sick from a slipped disk she suffered from playing Polo, grabbed her cane and joined the soiree. The royal grandsfolk were also present – The Old and Wise King Bert and of course, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Then there are the children – a select few of the Princess’ loyal friends coming in from various kingdoms. Those who didn’t make it, like her grandmother Empress Rose, her aunt Dutchess Rozelle and uncle Duke Edzel of Georgia, USA sent their gifts and cheerful greetings.

Dinner was intimate yet special, as we had our feast of the regal barbecue, colonial fried chicken, majestic mango cake, ice cream supreme, and of course, the inevitable royal spaghetti. After dinner, the Princess opened her gifts. But the most wonderful surprise came when I ushered her in front of the imperial computer. Before opening the internet browser, I told her a story.

I told her that a true Princess is loved by many. That a real Princess touches the lives of not only the people around her, but also those who are living far, far away from her kingdom. I told her that a real Princess radiates beauty that spreads throughout continents. It breaks the barriers of time, distance, age, gender, and race.

And just when I thought I saw her forehead starting to wrinkle in confusion, we opened her last gift. There it laid, right before her eyes, a picture of a Princess with a lovely poem just below it. She began to read. I told her to scroll down and she did, until she stumbled upon something very familiar. Her photo! A Happy Birthday greeting with her name on it! I tried to read her expression. It was a mixture of shock and awe. And then, almost inevitably, she blurted, “That’s me!” I nodded. “I’m on the internet!” she added, calling on her brother. I told her to click on the comments below. Being older and having a louder voice, I asked Carlos to read the messages. What followed was a series of queries and surprises. First, she asked who these people are, why they know her name and why they know it’s her birthday. Then, after explaining to her how a real Princess is known to have many friends from around the world, she blurted, “I want to meet them!”

She inquired about The Wizard. Asking if she really is what she says she is, and I showed her the photos of her enchanting forest. She asked me about Dirk, a bit frightened of his photo at first, until I told him that he is a very gentle, kind man who’s expecting the birth of his own Prince. She asked me about DNR and why he’s wearing a skeleton mask when Halloween is already over. She asked me about all these fascinating people, and every time I come up with an answer, I smiled. Looking at my Princess and how obviously surprised she is with this little gift, I smiled.

Later at night, before she retired, she remembered. She asked me to print a copy for her to show in school. Lastly, she asked me to tell all these people, these wonderful, wonderful people thank you. Just then, knowing how 8 year-olds almost always prefer to receive than to give and forget to say thank you when the presence of a gift steals their attention, I felt glad. Knowing that somehow, I did something right.

And so, in behalf of her Majesty Queen Joy, Crowned Prince Carlos and Royal Highness Supreme Princess Bianca, I, humble King Russkal of Midlandia wish to say THANK YOU to the great, loving and caring citizens of Bloggerville for your support and participation in this noble endeavor.

Believe me when I say, we can’t thank you enough.