Nina could hear her mother yelling from the window in the kitchen. It was time for dinner and Nina was hoping it would be Mac n’ Cheese. Mostly because that’s the only thing she ever ate for dinner. No doubt her mother would have something else made for herself and her father, but for Nina it would be Mac n’ Cheese. And not any of that Kraft brand, either, no sir. For Nina, only the best. She would be having Velveeta. As she ran across the yard she could almost see the seashell-shaped noodles and taste the creamy sauce, coined as “liquid gold”.

That was, until she fell.

Of course this was only a simple trip in which Nina ended up on all fours in the plushy grass. Nina didn’t think much of the fall, so she just pushed herself off of the ground and ran inside. Her mother smiled and shook her head lightly. This situation was a familiar one. As the routine went, she told her to change into a nightgown and then give the jeans, which surely had a grass stain on them, to mommy. Once this was finished, her mother would throw the jeans into the wash and accepted the fact that the stains would never come out.

Ten years later, here is Nina, clumsy as ever. Every article of her clothing is soiled by grass stains from the trips and tumbles that she takes. She’s beyond the days of toughing through – that left with the daily Mac n’ Cheese – and her face now drains of blood each time. She often looks around to see if anyone noticed and then speedily walks away, holding her head down. She’s ashamed of the stains on her clothes and does whatever she can to cover them.

That was, until one day.

On one particular day Nina’s mother was making Mac n’ Cheese for dinner. The delicious, creamy Velveeta that she would make every night when Nina was a kid. At this point Nina’s mother had noticed Nina trying to hide her stains for while, so she asked why. Nina said that she was ashamed of her stains, to which her mother replied that there is no reason to be ashamed, but rather rejoice in them. You see, Nina could have fallen on concrete or a harder surface. Of course there wouldn’t be stains, but instead bruises and pain. But everytime Nina falls, she falls into the grass. Yes, she has stains that remind her of the fall, but no pain comes of it. In response to this, Nina went into her room and put on a brand new white shirt. This was the only one in her closet that had no stains.

That is, until she fell.

Nina ran outside and let herself fall down a hill. This was different from any of her previous falls though. All those before were due to gravity, this one was Nina’s choice. So she let herself trip and tumble down the hill, feeling joy. Once she got to the bottom she decided that there weren’t nearly enough stains on the shirt, so she ran to the top and let herself fall again.