Once upon a time, a little dream took root in the Florida sun — a wish stitched together with cedar and candlelight. Yet when the dream blossomed, not all who beheld it could bear its brightness. This tale calls to kindred spirits who have shared their joys only to be met with silence, who have watched others quietly borrow their originality, and whose tender miracles the world has struggled to understand.
Come, take my hand, and wander with me through the garden of quiet triumphs — where envy is recast into wisdom, and imitation fades before the glow of one’s true light.
A Mermaid’s Tale of Jealousy, Imitation, and the Quiet Art of Keeping One’s Joy
Once upon a golden afternoon, the winds of Florida carried a whisper through the cedar trees — a whisper that said, “It is done.”
And there before me stood the cottage I had dreamed into being: a Florida Cracker-style home with honey-coloured siding and windows that winked in the sun like mermaid mirrors. It was not built by hammer alone but by faith, by imagination, and by the silent artistry of the unseen hand that grants miracles to those who dare to believe in them.
Oh, what a moment it was! I longed to shout from every rooftop, to invite the robins and the roses to tea, to tell the whole world,
“Look what love and spirit have made!”
But instead, I was bid to hush.
“Don’t tell a soul!" A particular lady told me.
And so, my joy was hidden under lock and key — until I discovered that the very souls I was told to keep silent from had already been told, behind closed doors and whispered walls. The celebration I had dreamt of was replaced by gossip, disbelief, and even cruel suspicion. What had she done to get that? Someone murmured. The words stung like nettles on bare skin.
So I went to my room and cried — not because my dream had failed, but because it had arrived at a chorus of shadows instead of songbirds.
The Lesson Beneath the Waves
Spirit spoke softly then, as she often does when tears blur the veil between worlds:
“Dear one, this is not betrayal — it is revelation.”
When your garden blooms, others see in it the reflection of their own soil — some fertile, some fallow. Those who have tended their dreams will rejoice in your blossoms. Those who have neglected theirs may feel the ache of comparison.
And sometimes, my loves, people imitate what they do not yet know how to create. They borrow another’s melody until they find the courage to sing their own. It is not flattery so much as confusion — admiration turned sideways.
So rather than curse the echo, bless it. Let it ring, and then return to your own song.
Four Mermaid Teachings for When Jealousy Knocks
I. Guard Your Garden with Lace and Light.
Not every passer-by deserves a tour of your roses. Share your miracles only with those whose hearts can hold wonder without trembling. The seed of a blessing grows best in quiet soil.
II. Recognise Imitation as a Compliment in Disguise.
When others copy your colours or your ways, remember: the sea does not resent the sky for reflecting her hue. She simply keeps shimmering.
III. Withdraw Gracefully into the Water.
When pain prickles, return to your element. Bathe, walk by the river, or imagine the tide washing away every shadow of resentment. Whisper:
“I release all cords of imitation and envy.
My joy returns to me cleansed and whole.”
IV. Keep Creating.
Nothing dispels sorrow faster than new beauty. Plant another flower. Write another line. Sing another note. Creation is the balm of the original soul.
The Moral of the Tale
It is one thing to manifest a dream; it is another to keep it sacred.
Those who truly love you will never compete — they will harmonise.
When the world grows quiet as your garden blooms, do not take it for rejection. It is simply the sound of your destiny unfolding beyond their comprehension.
Dance within your cottage. Brew tea for your triumphs. Let your joy echo softly through the rafters and the rose vines.
For you, dear reader, were not born to be understood by everyone —
you were born to enchant.
A Mermaid’s Blessing
“May your joys be witnessed by angels if not by men.
May your blessings stay pure and untangled by envy.
May imitation glide past you like seafoam in sunlight.
And may your heart, forever sovereign,
bloom quietly in splendour.”
If ever you have tended a secret dream and watched others mimic its bloom, know that you are not alone, dear heart. The world often learns by echo, yet only you can sing your song in its most actual key.
I should love to hear your own tale of quiet victories — the moments when you chose grace instead of bitterness, or creation instead of complaint. Do leave a note below, and together we shall make a little parlour of shared wisdom and wonder.
And in one such tender hour, as I pondered these lessons of the heart, a most extraordinary presence visited my thoughts — that of Princess Diana herself. Her energy was as soft as moonlight, yet radiant with courage. Through channelling, she offered a message both uplifting and beautiful: that love never truly leaves, it merely changes form. Her words shimmered through me like pearls upon the tide, reminding me that grace endures, even when the world misunderstands our light.
Most affably yours til my next swim,
Lady Raquel Carter, The Cottage Mermaid
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